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After missing the playoffs for just the second time in the past eight seasons, the Ravens fired John Harbaugh, hired Jesse Minter, and the defensive-minded head coach has taken the early steps to build a juggernaut of a coaching staff.
Minter's next step will be to sign quarterback Lamar Jackson to an extension and rebuild a defense that ranked 14th in success rate (43.4%) and 29th in pressure rate (32.1%). Baltimore has 22 unrestricted free agents, according to Over The Cap, with big names like Tyler Linderbaum, Isaiah Likely, Kyle Van Noy, Dre'Mont Jones, Alohi Gilman, Chidobe Awuzie, and Ar'Darius Washington among those Eric DeCosta will evaluate.
With the new league year fast approaching, we're predicting the defensive depth chart ahead of free agency.
Starter: Nnamdi Madubuike
Aeneas Peebles
Draft pick
Optimism is always needed, and we're predicting that Madubuike will be in the starting lineup. The Ravens are retooling and preparing for the 2026 season, but most Ravens fans and analysts are eager for news on the Pro Bowl defensive tackle. Madubuike was placed on injured reserve with a neck injury before the Ravens' 37-20 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. That was over four months ago, and there has been no real discussion, prognosis, or update on Madubuike's future, but his most recent tweet highlighted some "good news."
Starter: Travis Jones
John Jenkins
C.J. Okoye
Jones had a career year, and Jenkins earned his first contract extension.
Starter: Dremont Jones
We're predicting Jones returns after Baltimore added the pass rusher by sending a fifth-round pick to the Titans for Jones. Before arriving at the Under Armour Performance Center, Jones had five QB hits in the Ravens' 24-0 win over the Bengals, and his presence was felt in multiple categories. Before that matchup with Cincinnati, Jones had generated 14 pressures on 140 pass rushes over five games before joining the Ravens at the trade deadline, according to Next Gen Stats via the Ravens' official website, which was tied for the most among all Ravens defenders in that span.
Draft pick
Starter: Mike Green
Tavius Robinson
Draft pick
Green got off to a slow start, but eventually found his footing down the stretch. Overall, Green played 713 snaps, finishing with a 46.3 grade from PFF, 3.5 sacks, 19 pressures, and 14 quarterback hits.
Roquan Smith
Trenton Simson/Teddye Buchanan
Jay Higgins
Carl Jones
Buchanan is rehabbing from a torn ACL and could miss time to start the season.
Nate Wiggins
Free agent
Keyon Martin
T.J. Tampa
Bilhal Kone
Robert Longerbeam
Unless there's a move to safety, we see Marlon Humphrey moving on via trade or a release. Chidobe Awuzie is a free agent and could return, while Keyon Martin received valuable snaps as an undrafted rookie.
Starter: Kyle Hamilton
Starter: Malaki Starks
Starter: Alohi Gilman
Keondre Jackson
Minter is familiar with Gilman, which likely leads to his return. With the plan to play Kyle Hamilton at multiple positions, Baltimore could go with three safeties, two cornerbacks, and Hamilton in the slot. Starks, a 2025 first-round pick from Georgia, started 15 of the 17 games he appeared in this season, logging 1,060 defensive snaps (11th), 84 total tackles (49 solo) and four passes defensed, including two interceptions. Starks finished his rookie season with the third-most interceptions and the fourth-most total tackles on the Ravens' defense.
Starks may not be Kyle Hamilton, but he was solid, and an improvement in pass coverage (64.9 PFF grade) could take him to a Pro Bowl level.
This article originally appeared on Ravens Wire: Predicting the Ravens 2026 starting defense ahead of free agency
Continue reading...
Minter's next step will be to sign quarterback Lamar Jackson to an extension and rebuild a defense that ranked 14th in success rate (43.4%) and 29th in pressure rate (32.1%). Baltimore has 22 unrestricted free agents, according to Over The Cap, with big names like Tyler Linderbaum, Isaiah Likely, Kyle Van Noy, Dre'Mont Jones, Alohi Gilman, Chidobe Awuzie, and Ar'Darius Washington among those Eric DeCosta will evaluate.
With the new league year fast approaching, we're predicting the defensive depth chart ahead of free agency.
DT
Starter: Nnamdi Madubuike
Aeneas Peebles
Draft pick
Optimism is always needed, and we're predicting that Madubuike will be in the starting lineup. The Ravens are retooling and preparing for the 2026 season, but most Ravens fans and analysts are eager for news on the Pro Bowl defensive tackle. Madubuike was placed on injured reserve with a neck injury before the Ravens' 37-20 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. That was over four months ago, and there has been no real discussion, prognosis, or update on Madubuike's future, but his most recent tweet highlighted some "good news."
NT
Starter: Travis Jones
John Jenkins
C.J. Okoye
Jones had a career year, and Jenkins earned his first contract extension.
DE
Starter: Dremont Jones
We're predicting Jones returns after Baltimore added the pass rusher by sending a fifth-round pick to the Titans for Jones. Before arriving at the Under Armour Performance Center, Jones had five QB hits in the Ravens' 24-0 win over the Bengals, and his presence was felt in multiple categories. Before that matchup with Cincinnati, Jones had generated 14 pressures on 140 pass rushes over five games before joining the Ravens at the trade deadline, according to Next Gen Stats via the Ravens' official website, which was tied for the most among all Ravens defenders in that span.
Draft pick
OLB
Starter: Mike Green
Tavius Robinson
Draft pick
Green got off to a slow start, but eventually found his footing down the stretch. Overall, Green played 713 snaps, finishing with a 46.3 grade from PFF, 3.5 sacks, 19 pressures, and 14 quarterback hits.
LB
Roquan Smith
Trenton Simson/Teddye Buchanan
Jay Higgins
Carl Jones
Buchanan is rehabbing from a torn ACL and could miss time to start the season.
CB
Nate Wiggins
Free agent
Keyon Martin
T.J. Tampa
Bilhal Kone
Robert Longerbeam
Unless there's a move to safety, we see Marlon Humphrey moving on via trade or a release. Chidobe Awuzie is a free agent and could return, while Keyon Martin received valuable snaps as an undrafted rookie.
S
Starter: Kyle Hamilton
Starter: Malaki Starks
Starter: Alohi Gilman
Keondre Jackson
Minter is familiar with Gilman, which likely leads to his return. With the plan to play Kyle Hamilton at multiple positions, Baltimore could go with three safeties, two cornerbacks, and Hamilton in the slot. Starks, a 2025 first-round pick from Georgia, started 15 of the 17 games he appeared in this season, logging 1,060 defensive snaps (11th), 84 total tackles (49 solo) and four passes defensed, including two interceptions. Starks finished his rookie season with the third-most interceptions and the fourth-most total tackles on the Ravens' defense.
Starks may not be Kyle Hamilton, but he was solid, and an improvement in pass coverage (64.9 PFF grade) could take him to a Pro Bowl level.
This article originally appeared on Ravens Wire: Predicting the Ravens 2026 starting defense ahead of free agency
Continue reading...
