The Baltimore Ravens saw their defense dominate throughout the 2023 season. They ranked at or near the top of the league in many different defensive categories, which was a huge reason their regular season was so successful.
Baltimore made sure to bring back one of its key defensive players, defensive lineman Justin Madubuike, who signed a four-year, $98 million extension with the team before free agency opened. General manager Eric DeCosta expressed his confidence in the team’s defense with Madubuike back in the fold, especially alongside others such as inside linebacker Roquan Smith.
“I think it’s big any time you keep your best, young talent. We feel really good about those guys. We feel really good about where the defense stands overall, and we’re just on the come [up]. We’re excited to see Zach [Orr] orchestrate this whole thing. I think the thing that stands out about Justin [Madubuike] is just his ability as a three-down player. He can play the run, and he’s an exceptional pass rusher, too. He’s a guy that has gotten better every single year. He’s a great example for the younger players who can see him and see his progression from 2020 to now. That’s exciting for those guys to see, and we’re thrilled that we have him up front. We have Roquan [Smith]. We have some good, young players with Roquan at the linebacker position, and also in the secondary, we feel like we’re very strong.”
Aside from Madubuike and Smith, the Ravens’ defense has stars like Kyle Hamilton, Marlon Humphrey, and more. While losing former defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald and other critical defensive personnel is a big blow, the team has enough to recover and have another successful season on that side of the ball.
