Ravens 2024 place overview: Inside Linebackers

With the 2024 season formally within the books and the beginning of the brand new league 12 months lower than a month away, it’s the proper time to overview the Baltimore Ravens one place group at a time earlier than utterly turning the web page ahead to gearing up for 2025.

Within the first installment of this text sequence, the within linebackers are up after a 12 months the place they struggled collectively at instances out of the gate however discovered a profitable components down the stretch.

Roquan Smith

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Not even the Ravens’ honored area normal was exempt from blame for a few of their woes when it got here to go protection. Smith spent extra time attempting to make up for errors and lapses of others in protection that his personal efficiency in that space suffered ensuing in the course of the sphere being straightforward pickings for opposing quarterbacks by means of 10 weeks.

After the complete unit underwent schematic and personnel adjustments together with subsequent to him on the second stage, Smith was again to being the constant and intimidating pressure within the second half of the season his technique to incomes his third straight Professional Bowl nod and First Crew All Professional honors. The seven-year veteran led the Ravens and ranked fourth within the league with 154 whole tackles together with 4 for a loss, 1.5 sacks, three quarterback hits, 4 go breakups, a pressured fumble, a fumble restoration and an interception.

Trenton Simpson

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When the Ravens chosen the previous Clemson standout within the third spherical of the 2023 NFL Draft, he was considered as doubtlessly the instant substitute for 2020 first-rounder Patrick Queen who was heading into the ultimate 12 months of his rookie deal. As an alternative, Simpson needed to bide his time and earn his stripes on particular groups as a rookie and watch a Queen and Smith proceed to be the most effective off-ball linebacker tandem within the league.

The Ravens gave him each alternative to grab his predecessor’s beginning function together with taking the overwhelming majority of first-team reps within the offseason and coaching camp, taking part in into the second half of preseason video games and beginning the primary 13 video games of the common season. Whereas Simpson flashed his promising potential in prolonged motion, he lacked consistency and was finally changed by a two-man veteran platoon. Regardless of seeing his function on protection diminished down the stretch, he recorded profession highs throughout the board with 73 whole tackles together with 5 for a loss, 1.5 sacks, six quarterback hits, 4 go breakups and a fumble restoration.

Malik Harrison

Kirby Lee-Imagn Photos

The versatile veteran cut up his time between taking part in off the ball and on the sting on early downs for the Ravens this previous season and assumed the majority of the reps subsequent to Smith within the second half of the 12 months. Harrison set a robust edge in opposition to the run when he lined up at SAM and performed with downhill physicality when he was at WILL, resulting in him setting profession highs throughout the board whereas nonetheless being a staple on particular groups. In 17 video games together with the playoffs, he made 9 begins and recorded 54 whole tackles together with three for a loss, three quarterback hits, and two sacks.

Chris Board

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The Ravens reunited with the previous undrafted gem turned particular groups ace final offseason after two years away and by the tip of the common season, he was the opposite half of the two-man rotation that took over Simpson’s spot subsequent to Smith. Whereas Board was wonderful taking part in quick and bodily downhill within the run recreation as properly, a side of the sport he excelled specifically greater than his fellow off-ball linebackers was in protection the place he was sticky in man protection on working backs and tight ends and confirmed some good instincts in zone. Board allowed a career-low opposing passer score of 85.4 and recorded 30 whole tackles together with two for a loss, a sack, a quarterback hit, a go breakup and a fumble restoration.

I’ve been fairly a vocal supporter of Chris Board for a while, and would like to see him stick round for a short time longer!

You don’t hear a lot from him, he will get his head down and performs soccer. One of many unsung heroes of the protection! #RavensFlock pic.twitter.com/bQIhWolAbt

— Nic Mason (@British_Raven19) January 27, 2025

Kristian Welch

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Board wasn’t the one former undrafted linebacker the Ravens introduced again this previous season as Welch returned to the group after one 12 months away following not making the 2023 roster. The five-year veteran started the season with the Denver Broncos after getting minimize by the Inexperienced Bay Packers popping out of coaching camp and was introduced again to Baltimore in mid-October the place he’d go on to play 17 snaps on protection together with a begin in Week 12. Welch performed the vast majority of his snaps on particular groups and recorded 5 whole tackles and a fumble restoration in 11 video games together with the playoffs.