Don Martindale: This Is Important Year for OLB Jaylon Ferguson

Third-year player could be fighting for roster spot.

OWINGS MILLS, Md.— Ravens defensive coordinator Don Martindale has heaped praise on outside linebacker Jaylon Ferguson.

However, he acknowledged that this is a critical year for the third-year player and he will have to compete for snaps. 

The Ravens selected a pair of edge rushers — Odafe Oweh and Daelin Hayes — in this year's draft and both players will be pushing for playing time. The Ravens also signed veteran Justin Houston during training camp. 

“I think he knows that this year is important for him," Martindale said about Ferguson. "The thing that impresses me is how he hasn’t changed, personality-wise. It’s not like he’s walking around with the pressure of the world on his shoulders. What he’s done is, he’s come to practice, and he’s come to these games and these situations, and he’s played with the confidence that we all have in him, and he’s played with a lot better hand placement." 

Ferguson, who was selected by the Ravens in their round (85th overall) of the 2019 NFL Draft, has amassed just 4.5 sacks over his career.

The opportunity is available for Ferguson to make a bigger impact because of the losses this offseason.

Matt Judon, who led the team with six sacks last season, signed a new deal with the Patriots as a free agent. Yannick Ngakoue signed with the Raiders after finishing with eight overall, but only three in nine games for Baltimore. Jihad Ward, who signed with the Jaguars, managed three sacks last season.

Ferguson broke the NCAA record for career sacks with 45, eclipsing the previous mark set by Terrell Suggs, who is Baltimore's all-time sacks leader. As a result, Ferguson instantly drew comparisons to T-Sizzle when he arrived in Baltimore.

After a slow start to his rookie season, Ferguson took advantage of more playing time when fellow linebacker Pernell McPhee suffered a season-ending knee injury in Week 7. The 6-foot-5, 270-pound Ferguson finished with 2.5 sacks, 31 tackles, and nine quarterback hits in 14 games (nine starts).

Last year, he saw action in 14 games (one start), had 30 tackles (21 solo), two sacks, seven tackles for a loss, five quarterback hits, one fumble recover,y and one pass defensed.

Martindale said teams have focused on stopping Ferguson this preseason and he has adapted well.  

"[NFL commissioner] Roger Goodell is not going to call and stop the game, but there were times he just got tackled out there," Martindale said. "I mean, their [offensive] tackles had more tackles than our [defensive] tackles, alright? That’s the preseason. 

"But he was rushing really well. I said last week, in front of the whole defense – I said – ‘You just had your two best practices as a Raven.’ And he just keeps building on it, so we’re expecting him to flourish again in his role.”