There are a couple of fair questions to be asked about the defense of the Baltimore Ravens due to concerns when looking at a potential depth chart. At linebacker, Baltimore is going to ask Trenton Simpson to step into a starting role in 2024 after playing sparingly as a rookie last year. Behind Simpson, there are concerns about the depth there.
The time to sign free agents is mostly over and there are not many names left out there. A couple of options still exist where the Ravens will potentially be able to add to the linebacker room before the season. Roster cutdowns and potential trades are something to watch at the end of August when we get closer to the regular season.
While it would cost them over $4 million to part ways with him, Washington Commanders linebacker Jamin Davis is a player who appears to be on the roster bubble for them. Davis is in his fourth season and a player that Baltimore would likely look to trade first, but could end up cutting. If such a thing happens his pathway to Baltimore is clear. It wasn’t until the final regular season game last year that the Ravens played Simpson extensively on defense in place of Patrick Queen and he looked solid. But with just 13 tackles in his rookie season, there is no guarantee that Simpson will pan out as they hope he does.
Roquan Smith holds down the other linebacker spot as an All-Pro but Baltimore can not put it all on him. Josh Ross and Deion Jennings have very little to no experience behind Simpson and that is a recipe for a disaster.
Davis made 89 tackles and three sacks in 16 games for the Commanders last season but his role appears to be much different this year after being a starting linebacker for three years. The firmer first-round luck has reportedly been working as an edge rusher and not with the linebackers in training camp thus far. Rushing the passer is another spot that the Ravens aren’t extensively deep at either.
If things don’t change soon for Davis in Washington, he will be looking for a fresh start elsewhere in the NFL. Baltimore makes a lot of sense for him and it won’t be a far move, either.