Where Will Ravens Pass Rush Come From?

Where will the Ravens’ pass rush come from in 2022?

Only eight teams had fewer sacks than the Ravens’ 34 last season, even though Baltimore was again a heavy blitzing team. The Ravens want to get more pressure on quarterbacks this season and finish with more sacks overall.

However, last year’s leader in sacks, Tyus Bowser (7) is coming off a torn Achilles suffered in the final game of last season. Odafe Oweh, who finished second with five sacks, is working his way back from offseason shoulder surgery. Justin Houston, who was third with 4.5 sacks, is a free agent.

Baltimore attempted to bring back Za’Darius Smith in free agency, but he backed out of the deal. The Ravens instead ended up signing defensive tackle Michael Pierce and using the money to bolster other spots.

The Ravens drafted Michigan pass rusher David Ojabo in the second round, but he tore his Achilles at his Pro Day on March 19 and won’t be ready at the start of the season. The Ravens anticipate that he will play at some point this season but it’s too early to say when.

A big part of Baltimore’s 2022 pass rush is going to have to come in the form of improvements from the players already on the roster.

The most obvious candidate is Oweh, who has sky-high potential that he flashed last season before his shoulder hampered him down the stretch. Oweh’s shoulder shouldn’t be an issue once the season starts, and his aim is to “dominate more” in his second season. He’s been putting in the work to maximize his special athletic talents.