Just 6 games into the regular season and already an entire nation away from his old team, the disappointment of edge rusher Odafe Oweh is still being felt on the Baltimore Ravens.
Even after being traded to the Los Angeles Chargers on October 7, Oweh was called out by Bleacher Report’s Brad Gagnon as the “Biggest Letdown” for the Ravens in 2025.
“Oweh broke out with 10 sacks in 2024, but he didn’t register a single quarterback takedown in five games before the team essentially gave up and traded him to the Chargers,” Gagnon wrote on October 24.
Sending Oweh to the Chargers came as somewhat of a shock. NFL teams are loathe to give up on edge rushers and the deal gave the Ravens little advantage on paper, packaging Oweh and a 2027 seventh round pick for safety Alohi Gilman and a 2026 fifth round pick.
On paper, it looks like the Ravens were just sick of Oweh and wanted him shipped out of town.
Ravens Wasted First Round Pick on Oweh
Oweh, 6-foot-5 and 265 pounds, was one of 2 edge rushers taken in the first round of the 2021 NFL draft out of Penn State alongside 3-time NFL All-Pro Micah Parsons, who went at No. 12 overall to the Dallas Cowboys.
In retrospect, the 2021 draft is one of the wildest in recent memory.
Of the Top 4 picks, all have turned out to be busts, but there would be a crazy debate about who would be the new No. 1 overall pick in a re-draft.
You can make arguments that Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase (No. 5 overall), Detroit Lions offensive tackle Penei Sewell (No. 7 overall), Denver Broncos cornerback Patrick Surtain II (No. 9 overall) and Parsons all could have been the top pick.
Oweh, who was taken at No. 31 overall, started his career off with a lot of promise, making the All-Rookie Team in 2021 with 5.0 sacks and racking up a respectable 13.0 sacks across his first 3 seasons before his breakout year in 2024.
Veteran Edge Rusher Signed to Help Defense
Sitting at 1-5 headed into a Week 8 home game against the Chicago Bears, the Ravens are still trying to make moves to set themselves up for a playoff run.
It’s something that could still happen with the return of 2-time NFL MVP quarterback Lamar Jackson after missing the last 2 games — both losses — with a hamstring injury.
On October 23, NFL Insider Jordan Schultz broke the news the Ravens had signed veteran free agent edge rusher Carl Lawson.
“Sources: The Ravens are signing DE Carl Lawson after having him in for a workout,” Schultz wrote on his official X account. “Lawson notched 5 sacks last season with the Cowboys and has been waiting for the right opportunity.”
Lawson, 30 years old, played in 2024 on a 1-year, $1.125 million contract with the Cowboys and had 5.0 sacks. He spent the first 7 seasons of his career split between the Bengals and New York Jets.
The Ravens are currently 30th in the NFL in total defense and 31st in sacks.
“Very thankful for the opportunity I got in Dallas last year,” Lawson wrote on his official X account on October 22, just one day before signing with the Ravens. “Actually believe I’m twice the player I was even last year with a healthy offseason.”
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