Bolster the pass rush.
The first area for improvement that DeCosta mentioned in Tuesday’s season review press conference was the pass rush.
Only two teams had fewer sacks than the Ravens’ 30, which was a drastic drop-off from the previous season when the Ravens had the second-most sacks (54) in the league.
“I think generally speaking, we’ve got to do a better job of creating pressure on defense,” DeCosta said. “That will help the secondary, I think, being complementary on defense that way. Getting after it [and] affecting the quarterback – affecting the pocket would be something big.”
The Ravens ranked 31st in the league in pass defense despite making heavy investments in that area the past two offseasons with first-round draft picks of cornerback Nate Wiggins and safety Malaki Starks. They also spent at cornerback and have one of the NFL’s top safeties in Kyle Hamilton.
But the secondary and the pass rush need to be married, and it didn’t work that way this season. The Ravens sacked Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers twice in two games – both huge losses. They had just two combined sacks on Josh Allen, Jared Goff, and Patrick Mahomes at the start of the year.
The loss of Nnadmi Madubuike to a season-ending neck injury was a “horrible situation for our team,” DeCosta said, and had a ripple effect on the rest of the pass rush. DeCosta couldn’t share more about Madubuike’s future this week, but the Ravens should be able to plan accordingly this offseason. Broderick Washington Jr. is also under contract and set for a return after suffering a season-ending reported Achilles injury in Week 3.
Getting help for Travis Jones, who led the Ravens with five sacks, in the trenches would help unlock him more as well.
“God bless Travis. I think he did the very best he could, but if he’d had Madubuike next to him, he’d have been singled all year long, and instead, they were able to double him all year long,” Bisciotti said.
At outside linebacker, second-round pick Mike Green saw valuable extensive action as a rookie and logged 3.5 sacks. Tavius Robinson will return after a career year that was shortened by a foot injury. The Ravens will have to decide whether to bring back Kyle Van Noy and trade acquisition Dre’Mont Jones.
The Ravens could dip into the defensive tackle or outside linebacker pool early again in this year’s draft. They last used a first-round pick at defensive end/outside linebacker on Odafe Oweh in 2021. Baltimore could also add a veteran (or multiple pieces) in free agency or via trade to bolster the pass rush.