Return of Ravens All-Pro Will Provide Another Spark

Even though the Baltimore Ravens came up short for the fourth game in a row heading into their bye with a 17-3 loss to the Los Angeles Rams in Week 6, it marked the most impressive performance by their defense of the year. They held one of the most potent and well-balanced offenses in the league to season lows across the board.

While they were still missing some key pieces on that side of the ball, they were sparked by the encouraging performance of the new addition, safety Alohi Gilman. The sixth-year veteran was only on the team for less than a week, but got the starting nod and had an immediate impact. Not only did he play well, but his presence freed up his former college teammate, All Pro safety Kyle Hamilton, to play in the box and closer to the line of scrimmage.

"It's good to be playing with him again," Hamilton said Wednesday. "As a football player, he's great. He's been in the league – this is his sixth year, and he's done great over there in L.A., and I'm glad we got him. But as a defense, I think that does allow me to kind of move around and do some different things. That's not just me, that's everybody. We have a different duality that we can throw at teams. We have our fast ball, but we kind of have some off-speed pitches, too."

The Ravens' revamped defense that just added veteran free agent pass rusher Carl Lawson to the practice squad on Thursday will have one of its best players back in the starting lineup when they take the field against the Chicago Bears at home in Week 8. All Pro inside linebacker Roquan Smith is making his long-awaited return to the field against his former team after missing the last two games with a hamstring strain. Hamilton believes he can have a similar seismic impact that he had on the unit when he first arrived in Baltimore three years ago at the midseason trade deadline.

"Hopefully we can get this thing turned around and getting Ro back is a big first step to doing that." @kyledhamilton_ pic.twitter.com/AHuTJdORmO
— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) October 22, 2025

"It kind of reminds me of the 2022 season, it was my rookie year, and we traded for 'Ro', and he provided a spark then, and hopefully we can get this thing turned around [now]," Hamilton said. "I think getting him back is a big first step [in] doing that."

In his absence, the Ravens were forced to turn to fourth-round rookie Teddye Buchanan to move over from the WILL spot to MIKE, and reinserted third-year pro Trenton Simpson into the starting lineup next to him. The young tandem struggled in the second half of the team's Week 4 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs and the entirety of the Week 5 blowout loss to the Houston Texans, but bounced back and had their respective best games of the season against the Rams.

Having Smith back gives the Ravens one of the most instinctual players at the position when healthy who has been voted First Team All Pro in each of the past three years since joining the Charm City franchise. Despite missing the past two games, he still ranks fourth on the team in total tackles, including a team-leading 4 for a loss, and also has 3 quarterback hits and a fumble recovery for a touchdown.

Baltimore Ravens linebacker Roquan Smith (0) picks up a fumble and scores a touchdown against the Cleveland Browns in Week 2. — Sep 14, 2025; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Baltimore Ravens linebacker Roquan Smith (0) picks up a fumble and scores a touchdown during the fourth quarter at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Peter Casey-Imagn Images | Peter Casey-Imagn Images

While some pundits and fans have been down on Smith, believing he has lost a step and isn't what he once was, he has had to overcompensate for the youth and inexperience at positions surrounding him this year and in 2024, before Simpson was benched after 13 games. He is still just 28 years old and commands the respect and receives praise from opposing coaches and players around the league.

"He is fast and I think that's what stands out," Bears first-year head coach Ben Johnson said. "He diagnosis quickly, see-ball-get-ball, sideline-to-sideline. If our offensive linemen are responsible for him in the running game, we got to be on our horse because he's fast and he finds a way to shed, finds a way to get around blocks and be around the football. We're going to have to do our best to cover him up."

The return of Smith also means that he'll be back wearing the green dot, which is given to whoever is responsible for relaying the play calls from defensive coordinator Zach Orr to the entire unit. Contrary to popular outside perception, the second-year play-caller believes the eighth-year veteran was "playing really good football" before he went down and likes how he has been moving on the field since he returned to practice.

“Roquan Smith’s obviously one of the best linebackers in football.” DC Orr pic.twitter.com/Uu66Cq6bSm
— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) October 23, 2025

"Whenever you get one of the best players in the league back, it is great," Orr said. "He's ready to roll. I'm excited to go see him play on Sunday. He's been going about his business the same as he does any week, but I know deep down, just knowing him, that he wants this one. He's going to go out there and prepare the right way to make sure that he can do whatever he can to help us play good defense and get a win."

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