Mink: Tavius Robinson’s broken foot, which will put him on the shelf for six to eight weeks, does create an even larger need at outside linebacker. The Ravens are down to just Kyle Van Noy, rookie Mike Green, and David Ojabo at the position.
For now, I expect Baltimore will promote Malik Hamm or rookie Kaimon Rucker from the practice squad to fill the void while they sort out their options.
The Ravens’ next two games against the Bears and Dolphins will determine how aggressive they’ll be before the No. 4 trade deadline and whether they’re buyers or sellers.
General Manager Eric DeCosta traded for pass rusher Yannick Ngakoue at the deadline in 2020. Could he pull a similar move this year? I would never rule it out with DeCosta.
The defensive line is another area of need after the loss of Nnamdi Madubuike (neck) for the season. While the Ravens have been playing better up front in recent weeks, a big addition there could be a difference-maker that would not only help the interior pass rush, but could also help put opponents in more third-and-longs that would help get more pressures/sacks/turnovers.
The Ravens need to start affecting opposing quarterbacks more, and there are a variety of ways to do so. Getting Kyle Hamilton closer to the line of scrimmage helps, but I don’t think Baltimore will stop there.
My gut says the Ravens won’t take big swings like what it would take to pry outside linebacker Kayvon Thibodeaux from the Giants or defensive tackle Jeffrey Simmons from the Titans. Baltimore isn’t in the business of parting ways with early draft picks. I would look at more modest options. A reunion with former guard Kevin Zeitler would be more in that range, but I think the Ravens would look internally instead for offensive line help.
But what about a different reunion? The Ravens reportedly tried to bring back Calais Campbell at last year’s trade deadline, but Dolphins Head Coach Mike McDaniel stepped in to shut it down. Could Campbell, who has three sacks for the last-place Cardinals so far this season, again be a target that could help on the defensive line and with pass rush?