Ravens Should Prioritize DT Regardless of Nnamdi Madubuike's Future

The key missing ingredient from the Baltimore Ravens' front seven on defense for the majority of the 2025 season, which had a detrimental ripple effect on the rest of the unit at all three levels, was, without a doubt, two-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle Nnamdi Madubuike.

With him as the focal point of their pass rush, they finished first in sacks during his breakout 2023 season and logged the second most in 2024 with a pair of outside linebackers who reached double figures for the first time in their respective careers.

Madubuike was off to another strong start to this past season with a sack in each of the Ravens' first two games before disaster struck in the form of a neck injury that was first thought to be just a stinger but was later revealed to be more severe in nature. Over the ensuing months, rumors swirled to the point where some pundits began speculating whether it might potentially be of the career-ending variety.

Without the anchor of their interior defensive line for the remainder of the season, the Ravens weren't able to affect and disrupt opposing offenses and their quarterbacks at the same dominant rate for four quarters or hardly at all in some cases. They finished in a three-way tie for the third-fewest sacks in 2025 with just 30, and no player had more than five, which was defensive tackle Travis Jones, who got hot down the stretch after being inked to an extension during the season.

"I think it was tough to see Nnamdi [Madubuike] go down last year," general manager Eric DeCosta said. "It left us probably a little vulnerable. We did see some guys step up. It was great to see Travis [Jones] emerge like he did, especially during the second half of the season. We were fortunate to be able to get a deal done with him. But I think we've always been a team that has valued the importance of 'the trenches' and being up front."

Ravens brass remains mum on status of star defender

Feb 24, 2026; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Baltimore Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta speaks at the NFL Scouting Combine at the Indiana Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

About a month ago, Madubuike, who hadn't been active on the social media platform 'X' since October of 2024, posted a couple of cryptic tweets that ignited glimmers of hope throughout the fan base. The first one read 'Good news' with a praying hands emoji, and another was a picture of a passage that read 'You either quit or keep going. They both hurt. Choose wisely.’

As expected, both DeCosta and new head coach Jesse Minter were asked if there were any official updates, and echoed similar statements about how there aren't any and if there were, they'd leave it up to Madubuike himself to reveal.

"I've spoken with him. I'll keep those conversations private. I think that'll be up to him when the time's right," Minter said. "I know he's in great spirits, and it was great to see him in the building last week or the week prior. We'll keep the rest of that private."

Reinforcing defensive trenches with young talent is a top priority

Notre Dame Fighting Irish quarterback Sam Hartman (10) runs against Clemson Tigers defensive lineman Peter Woods (11). — Nov 4, 2023; Clemson, South Carolina, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish quarterback Sam Hartman (10) runs against Clemson Tigers defensive lineman Peter Woods (11) for a touchdown during the third quarter at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ken Ruinard-Imagn Images | Ken Ruinard-Imagn Images

Whether Madubuike makes a full recovery in short order, needs more time to weigh his options or decides to walk away from the game, the Ravens' immediate plans at the position should include replenishing the ranks with premium draft capital. They can't afford to be left that vulnerable again because it could have a similar cascading effect that could tank or severely hinder their ability to be a complete unit.

DeCosta appears to share that sentiment as he shared that the 28-year-old's injury status won't impact the team's strategy heading into this year's draft.

"It doesn't affect me very much," DeCosta said. "I think if we have the chance to draft a great defensive tackle, of course we will. It is one of the most important positions in football. Salary cap-wise, it doesn't have any major impact on us at this time. There are a lot of unknowns when you build a team, and sometimes – I learned from Ozzie [Newsome] – sometimes the best thing to do is just wait for more information, and that's what we'll continue to do."

In hindsight, the Ravens should've double-dipped at interior defensive line in last year's draft as it was touted as one of the deepest in recent memory but they waited until the sixth round and took an undersized prospect in Aeneas 'Fub' Peebles, who they didn't trust to hold up against the run and was only active for six games as a rookie with just just one appearance coming after Week 5.

There aren't any defensive tackle prospects worthy of being taken in the top 15 picks among this year's crop. However, some intriguing options could be worthy of a top 100 picks they could target in the back-half of the first round if they were to make a trade move back and accrue more capital or just wait until the second round to take.

Potential later first-round targets include Texas Tech's Lee Hunter, Clemson's Peter Woods and Ohio State's Kayden McDonald. On Day 2, they could look at a pair of SEC standouts in Florida's Caleb Banks or Georgia's Christen Miller. They should also consider using one of their projected four picks in the fifth round on Day 3 on another depth piece, whether it's a pass rush specialist or run-stuffing nose tackle type, as veteran John Jenkins is only under contract through the 2026 season and will be 37 in July.

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