The Baltimore Ravens should be able to count defensive tackle Justin Madubuike among their elite players, but at least one writer believes the 2023 second-team All-Pro will regress this season.
That’s the view of Anthony DiBona of the Pro Football Network. He believes Madubuike’s prolific output in 2023 may be an outlier inspired, at least in part, by financial reward: “Madubuike bursts onto the scene as an elite pass rusher last season. In his first three NFL seasons, Madubuike totaled just 8.5 sacks. But in 2023 — which was notably a contract year — he recorded 13. It’s fair to wonder if he’ll take a step back after earning a massive payday from the Ravens.”
Playing in a contract year did motivate Madubuike. Yet, the 26-year-old’s 13 sack campaign needn’t be an anomaly.
Instead, those sacks could be interpreted as the result of the light finally going on for the third-round pick in the 2020 NFL draft. Now, the onus is on Madubuike to prove he’s no one-season wonder.
He can do it based upon a niche skill and the talent around him along Baltimore’s defensive front.
Justin Madubuike Can Continue to Dominate
Madubuike didn’t just discover the secret of getting to quarterbacks last season. It was more like he finally crafted the art of finishing plays.
Creating pressure had never been a problem. Not when Madubuike generated 13 pressures, four hurries and three QB knockdowns in 2022, per Pro Football Reference.
Converting pressures into sacks became a happy habit for Madubuike last season. Like when he got to Kenny Pickett against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 5, a play highlighted by author and analyst Doug Farrar.
A play like this helped Madubuike earn a four-year contract worth $98 million, but it’s not the real reason Madubuike can continue to dominate. Farrar hit upon the true reason with the line, “Madubuike is frustrating opponents from every gap.”
Versatility is the key to how Madubuike remains a threat offenses can’t handle. Specifically, his talent for collapsing the pocket from multiple spots along the line of scrimmage.
As The Baltimore Banner’s Jonas Shaffer highlighted, “Justin Madubuike will sack you as a 9-tech and a 3-tech and everywhere in between.”
Madubuike can continue to be a roving menace. Especially if the Ravens get breakout performances from another member of their defensive line.
Ravens Have 2nd Breakout Candidate Up Front
There’s growing buzz about third-year nose tackle Travis Jones, who Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic believes “could be the next Baltimore defender to break out.”
It’s a sentiment shared by Gordon McGuinness of Pro Football Focus. He noted how “only Justin Madubuike logged more snaps than Jones on the defensive interior in the six games from Week 15 through the AFC Championship game. Expect that to continue into the 2024 season if Jones can continue his upward trajectory.”
Jones is big and physical enough to be a size mismatch over the ball. The 6-foot-4, 338-pounder can move the pile against the run, but the Ravens need Jones to make strides as a pass-rusher.
Fortunately, he showed flashes of becoming a more disruptive rusher last season. A great example occurred against the San Francisco 49ers in Week 16, when Jones actually won off the edge to deck Brock Purdy and force an interception.
Jones proving versatile enough to put heat on the pocket from different positions, the way Madubuike does, can give the Ravens another dominant star up front. If so, Jones’ emergence will help Madubuike at least maintain his levels, while also providing insurance against any regression from No. 92, however unlikely.
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