The Baltimore Ravens defense should be very exciting to watch in 2026. Jesse Minter is ready to take the unit back to the top, and the vastly improved defensive front and deep safety room are two position groups set to do significant damage. However, one of the most notable individual leaps could come from an inside linebacker: Trenton Simpson.
For a third-round pick, Simpson has been disappointing. Maybe all he needed was better coaching, though. He flashed in his one year under Mike Macdonald, but when Zach Orr took charge, Simpson’s development took a very bad turn.
Thankfully, defensive mastermind Jesse Minter is calling the shots now. For a player like Simpson, who could be an effective pass rusher, that’s the perfect guy to unlock his fullest potential.
While starts may not be on the horizon anymore, Simpson’s versatility will make him hard to ignore this season.
Trenton Simpson could play important role in Baltimore Ravens' defense
Trenton Simpson lost his starting job extremely quickly last year. It took just one game for then-rookie fourth-round pick Teddye Buchanan to steal Simpson’s job, becoming the starter in Week 2 and never looking back. Still, it’s not like Simpson is going to be completely cut from Baltimore’s defensive plans.
Simpson was stuck in John Harbaugh’s doghouse. Luckily, he’s gone, and Minter has taken over. In addition to Simpson having an opportunity to find a spot in the rotation again, there might even be a scenario where he finds his way back into a starting role in spurts as Buchanan returns from an ACL injury.
And even if those starting reps don’t find themselves back on Simpson’s plate in 2026, he can contribute more than your typical off-ball linebacker. The point is, he can impact in a variety of ways.
One of his best traits at Clemson was undoubtedly his pass-rush prowess and play up closer to the line of scrimmage. He finished his collegiate career with 12.5 sacks and 22.5 tackles for loss. It just so happens he hasn’t been able to showcase that at the NFL level on a consistent basis.
Minter sounds ready to let Simpson put that on full display, though. In a press conference following Monday’s practice, the first-year head coach spoke about what he sees him bringing to the table.
“Trenton Simpson’s had an unbelievable camp,” Minter said. “He is an extremely versatile, athletic linebacker that’s got a lot of great traits. He can do a lot for us; he can line up in a lot of different places.”
Hopefully that alignment versatility means Minter will unleash him in packages where he’s closer to the line of scrimmage. Whether it was during college or the brief moments where he’s impressed in the pros, it feels like he’s at his best when attacking that area of the field.
In fact, Pro Football Focus backs up that idea. In 2025, Simpson posted a 79.6 run defense grade (18th among linebackers) and a 67.0 pass rush grade (31st).
There's a lot of development for Simpson to do, and he’s got a whole new system to learn, as well. If Minter can unlock him, though, the Ravens may have another big defensive piece in their lap.
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