Ravens Investment in Defense Needs to Pay Off

The Baltimore Ravens have invested a ton of money in their defense heading into the upcoming season.

The Ravens enter the season with high expectations, as they have the highest win total in the AFC. Big things are expected to happen in Baltimore, and even bigger things are expected of their defense. 

For starters, the Ravens have spent the second most money on that side of the ball, trailing only their bitter rivals, the Pittsburgh Steelers. 

The Steelers are by far spending the most this season, at $193 million. However, the Ravens aren’t too far behind them, as they are spending $187.4 million just on their defense alone. 

With that comes lofty expecations for the Ravens. 

The Ravens have had quite the offseason. There’s been a ton of good and bad, but most of the good has come with their additions on the defensive side of the ball. 

Their biggest and potentially best addition is All-Pro pass rusher Trey Hendrickson. Baltimore signed the 31-year-old to a four-year, $112 million contract deal that includes $60 millionn in total guaranteed money, a $20 million signing bonus, and an average annual salary of $28 million. 

Hendrickson has been one of the NFL’s most productive pass rushers for much of this decade, recording 39 sacks over the past three seasons.

The expectation is that he can maintain that level of production with the Ravens, which is precisely why the team brought him in. They are counting on Hendrickson to continue being a disruptive force off the edge and help elevate an already talented defense. 

The other additions to the team include veteran and future Hall of Famer Calais Campbell. He was signed to bolster the defensive line, provide leadership, veteran experience, and strong rotational pass rush capabilities. 

Another addition the Ravens could benefit from in a big way is former Patriots safety Jaylinn Hawkins. Hawkins signed with the Ravens a few months ago and was brought in to fill the crucial third safety need.

Hawkins is expected to play an integral part and now has Anthony Weaver as his coach. 

Weaver returned to the organization after spending the past two seasons with the Miami Dolphins. He will serve as the defensive coordinator under head coach Jesse Minter. Minter has tremendous experience in guiding defenses in his coaching tenure, and with the pieces he has in Baltimore, that part shouldn't change. 

The hope and expectation for the Ravens' defense is to return to the elite standard that has defined the franchise for decades. Baltimore has long been known for fielding some of the NFL’s most dominant defenses, and the goal is to reestablish that identity as one of the league’s premier units.

Last season was a tough one for a multitude of reasons, but with a new scheme and health, the Ravens have a chance to re-establish themselves as a juggernaut in the AFC as well as the entire league.