Continuing our look at intriguing position battles, we put the OLB position in focus in what is starting to looks like a real competition heading into Training Camp. At the beginning of the offseason, OLB looked like it may be an issue for the Ravens in 2019 as veterans Terrell Suggs and Za’Darius Smith both left in free agency. Suggs and Smith were the Ravens top two pass-rushers in 2018 and their departures left a huge void in the Ravens defense. Drafting edge rusher Jaylon Ferguson in the 3rd round provided a much-needed addition to the depth chart and since then, the Ravens have added two more OLBs via free agency – former Raven Pernell McPhee and Shane Ray who spent his first four seasons in Denver. While these additions certainly don’t guarantee the Ravens will have a strong pass-rush, they do improve the depth chart and should make the competition in Training Camp interesting to watch. Here’s how I see the depth chart shaking out along with some discussion on the various roles these players may fill and chance they make the final 53 man roster.

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1) Matt Judon (100% chance to make the roster) – Judon will be the starting SAM OLB for the Ravens in 2019. Heading into his 4th and final season of his rookie contract, Judon is poised for a big payday if he can take the next step as a pass-rusher and improve on his 2018 season where he posted 7 sacks and 20 QB hits. As the SAM LB, Judon has other roles in the defense aside from rushing the passer and has acquitted himself well both as a run defender and when dropping into coverage. In Wink Martindale’s attacking and multiple defense, Judon will be asked to rush from a number of different alignments and this is probably the area in which he can improve the most – a more consistent idea at how to get to the QB. If Judon can take the next step and win more 1 on 1 battles on the edge, it will be a great boost to the Ravens defensive potential.

2) Jaylon Ferguson (100% chance to make the roster) – Ferguson was the Ravens second pick in the 2019 Draft and he should have a chance to compete for the starting Rush LB position opposite of Judon. Ferguson possesses prototypical size and length for an edge rusher and was historically productive during his collegiate career at Louisiana Tech, so there is certainly some optimism that he will be able to come in and produce immediately in the NFL. Of course, the transition from college to the NFL is often a very steep hill so it would not surprise if Ferguson is utilized more as a situational pass-rusher in his rookie season. I do expect Ferguson to see the field a decent amount, and hopefully he can match if not surpass the kind of numbers Judon put up as a rookie with 4 sacks and 10 QB hits.

3) Tyus Bowser (90% chance to make the roster) – Bowser is one of the more intriguing players on the Ravens defense. A 2nd round pick from 2017, he has not been given the snaps to carve out a consistent role in the defense up to this point. Bowser is an elite level athlete and this has born itself out in his coverage snaps where he has looked natural and fluid, although he has never looked particularly comfortable as an edge-rusher. His athleticism and coverage ability combined with the Ravens depth at OLB and relative lack of depth at ILB have led some analysts to suggest he may see his role switch to more of an off the ball LB where he would be used primarily in coverage or as a blitzer. Regardless, Bowser should have a secure spot on the roster as he is by far the Ravens best option to back up Matt Judon at SAM LB. Whether or not he sees a majority of his snaps as an edge rusher or off the ball may be a function of how well other players step up around him.

4) Tim Williams (75% chance to make the roster) – Williams is in an interesting position as he is not a lock to make the roster and yet may still be the favorite to start at Rush LB opposite of Matt Judon. Similar to Tyus Bowser, Williams has never really solidified a role for himself in the defense through his first two years on the team. He has looked absolutely un-blockable at times in the preseason and had some nice moments in the 2018 season before an injury made him unavailable after which he proceeded to find himself in Harbaugh’s infamous doghouse. If Williams can find some consistency in his play and preparation, he has the potential to be a double-digit sack player, but he also could see himself playing somewhere else if he is unable to get his act together. He is probably the most natural edge rusher on the Ravens defense, and that ability alone should give him a leg up in Training Camp, but in the end it will be up to Williams if he sees his potential brought to fruition.

5) Pernell McPhee (70% chance to make the roster) – McPhee returns to Baltimore on a one year deal after spending several years in Chicago followed by one season in Washington. When Pernell first left Baltimore he left a void as a versatile pass-rush specialist where he often aligned either as a 1T or 3T DT, rushing the passer on the interior of the defensive line. Za’Darius Smith eventually developed to fill that role in the Pees/Martindale defense, and it appears now that we have come full circle with McPhee back in Baltimore. It seems likely that he will be used primarily as a pass-rush specialist which has been his true calling in the NFL. Pro Football Focus noted that McPhee owns the 3rd highest pressure rate of all qualified edge rushers since 2006 at 16.4%, trailing only Von Miller and Cameron Wake, a truly impressive mark. The one thing working against McPhee has been his injury history, which is why I think there is a chance he doesn’t make the roster, but if he can stay healthy for the entire season, McPhee could end up being a real difference maker for the Ravens defense.

6) Shane Ray (50% chance to make the roster) – The day after the Ravens signed Pernell McPhee, they followed it up by signing former Broncos 1st round pick Shane Ray. While it felt like a bit of an odd move at the time, it seems clear that the Ravens wanted to create some real competition at the OLB position and send a message to 3rd year players Tyus Bowser and Tim Williams. Ray had a couple of productive seasons in Denver before injuries really took a toll on his availability and effectiveness on the field. In the Ravens defense, Ray profiles best in the Rush LB role where Tim Williams and Jaylon Ferguson will be his primary competition. Ray’s calling card is his speed off the edge, and he does possess above average athleticism and movement skills which are attractive in Martindale’s defense where defenders are asked to rush the passer from multiple different alignments. If he can remain healthy there is a strong chance he makes the team, and at 26 years old there is still some upside with him. He would likely play the role of a situational pass-rusher rotating with Williams and Ferguson, but he may end up being a final cut down casualty simply because of the numbers game.

7) Aaron Adeoye, Markus Jones, and Michael Onuoha (approximately 0% chance to make the roster) – The Ravens 2019 crop of UDFAs at OLB are all most likely camp bodies with no real chance of making the team. If one of these players shows real promise, there is probably a Practice Squad spot available, but after the signings of McPhee and Ray, there is no path to the 53 man roster unless the Ravens have severe injury issues.

One final note I want to make here – I gave six players at least 50% chance to make the final roster, and while it seems somewhat unlikely that all six make it, I don’t think it is impossible for a few reasons. First of all, several of the Ravens OLBs have been very injury prone in recent seasons so depth is highly important. Secondly, while Jaylon Ferguson was a highly touted draft pick and while many including myself felt that he was a steal where the Ravens got him, he is still a rookie and expectations about his level of play should be tempered. Finally, the Ravens may see McPhee as more of a Defensive Lineman than OLB which could mean there is a squeeze at DT instead of OLB. In the end, John Harbaugh and his coaching staff will go with the combination of players that they think gives the team the best chance to win, and having a quality pass rush is going to be an important aspect of that formula.

Gabe Ferguson
Gabe Ferguson

Ravens Analyst

Gabe is an avid fan of the NFL and Ravens football. He grew up in Westminster, MD, and attended college at Johns Hopkins University majoring in Biology. He earned his Ph.D. in Molecular Biology from the University of California, Los Angeles, and now works as a R&D Scientist developing Transplant Diagnostics assays. Gabe has appeared as a guest on 105.7 The Fan.

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