The Baltimore Ravens may have made the turnaround from NFL’s coldest team to NFL’s hottest team quicker than anyone, ever, with 4 consecutive wins over the last month. They’ve now evened their record at 5-5 after a start in which the very foundations of the franchise were questioned.
The main differences have been, on offense, the return of 2-time NFL MVP quarterback Lamar Jackson after he missed 3 games with a hamstring injury. The other thing that’s propelled them to the wins has been a resurgent defense that has gone from one of the NFL’s worst to playing like one of the NFL’s best over the last month.
One part of that defense that did not get an upgrade was on the interior defensive line, although not for lack of the Ravens trying, according to one report.
“Sources: Veteran DT Khalen Saunders has received strong interest from multiple teams — including the Ravens, Colts, Jets and Cardinals — since being released by the Jaguars last week,” NFL insider Jordan Schultz wrote on his official X account on Monday, November 17. “He’ll begin taking visits and is expected to sign sooner rather than later.”
Shortly after Schultz’s report, news broke that Saunders was going to sign with the New York Jets — one of the NFL’s worst teams.
“Veteran DT Khalen Saunders is expected to sign with the Jets, per sources,” the NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero wrote on his official X account. “The two-time Super Bowl champion is the latest veteran addition in New York, where Aaron Glenn is working to the build the culture.”
Saunders, a 2-time Super Bowl champion with the Kansas City Chiefs, was waived by the Jacksonville Jaguars on November 13.
Ravens Criticized for Not Trading for Interior DL
Bleacher Report called out the Ravens for not making a move to land an interior defensive lineman ahead of the November 4 trade deadline. It was a move that seemed like a no brainer because the Ravens are without NFL All-Pro defensive tackle Nnamdi Madbuike, who suffered a season ending neck injury on September 27.
From Bleacher Report: “The Ravens took a significant loss when they placed two-time Pro Bowler Nnamdi Madubuike on injured reserve. Baltimore fields the 21st-ranked run defense, giving up 4.5 yards per carry, which ranks 22nd across the league. Without Madubuike, the Ravens don’t have enough beef up front to slow down physical ground attacks, which may become a problem as temperatures drop in cold-weather November and December games. They needed an addition on the interior of the defensive line.”
Baltimore Signed Former First Round Pick
The Ravens signed defensive tackle and former first round pick Taven Bryan on November 15 after Bryan signed to the practice squad on September 24.
Bryan has been something of a good luck charm for the Ravens. He’s been on the active roster for the last 4 regular season games — all Baltimore wins.
Bryan, 6-foot-5 and 291 pounds, was a first round pick (No. 29 overall) by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the 2018 NFL draft out of the University of Florida.
He played for the Browns on 1 -year, $4 million contract in 2022, then played 2 seasons for the Indianapolis Colts in 2023 and 2024. He was cut by the Cincinnati Bengals in August before landing with the Ravens.
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