Baltimore Ravens linebacker Teddye Buchanan offered a major update on how his ACL tear recovery is going.
The Baltimore Ravens lost one of their most dynamic rookies in December of the 2025 season, as Teddye Buchanan suffered a tragic ACL tear. Through 14 games, he secured 93 total tackles, 0.5 sacks, and five tackles for loss.
At one point, Buchanan was the second-leading tackler behind fellow linebacker Roquan Smith. After his season was cut short, he was also still named to the PFWA All-Rookie Team. Now, he has revealed some major updates on his injury recovery.
Buchanan joined "The Lounge," the official Ravens podcast, where he revealed that he is "ahead of schedule."
"The rehab process is going great. Right on schedule, if not ahead of schedule," Buchanan said.
Though Buchanan did not give any kind of details of when he would be able to return to the lineup, he did say he is "ahead of schedule." The usual case for ACL tears is to have a year off while fully recovering.
That is not always the case. Per basemedicalgroup.com, the recovery time is usually eight to 12 months. Considering Buchanan is also a younger player, that could play a part in his ability to take the field again sooner rather than later.
The young linebacker was having a season that may have turned into a Defensive Rookie of the Year nomination, but his still receiving recognition from the Pro Football Writers of America was a big deal.
"It was a blessing to get a year under my belt, a year where I was thrown into the fire as a young guy," Buchanan said. "I'm super grateful for that year. It was a year of excitement, a year of joy, a year of challenge, but I feel like I came away from that year a better and improved person."
The Ravens were hit with a ton of injuries in 2025, and losing Buchanan for the season was certainly tough. The rookie himself indicated it was a "challenge" to have to see the team miss out on the playoffs while he couldn't play.
"It was tough. Mostly, you feel like you just want to be a part of the team," Buchanan said. "We were pushing for the playoffs, so there was a lot still left on the table. Not to be a part of that, playing directly on the field, was a challenge."
Buchanan can now return in 2026, and a likely hope for the Ravens might be that he can come back at least by mid-season, but that will be dependent on his recovery.
With the 2026 NFL Draft now in the review mirror, Baltimore also did not draft a linebacker, proving they have some strong belief that their current unit can be strong. Smith leads the pack alongside Trenton Simpson, Carl Jones, and Buchanan when he is healthy.