He was one of the most dominant interior pass-rushers in the NFL during the 2023 season, but Baltimore Ravens defensive tackle Nnamdi Madubuike found himself a marked man throughout the last campaign, so the All-Pro is making a big change to his game.
Two-time Pro Bowler Madubuike told reporters, including Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic, all about it at the start of training camp. Zrebiec reported “Madubuike, one of most doubled interior DL last year, said he wanted to get a bit bigger to hold up against double teams this year. Said he’s up around 5 to 8 pounds and wants to play between 295 and 300 this year.”
Madubuike needs the boost a few extra pounds could give him after his sack totals and pressure numbers took a dive last season. The 27-year-old logged 13 sacks during his banner campaign two years ago, but he only managed to record 6.5 quarterback takedowns in 2024.
Less disruption of the pass pocket wasn’t the only problem facing Madubuike. He also found himself absorbed too easily in the running game.
Ravens Need Nnamdi Madubuike Back to His Best
Madubuike was far from his best against teams keying in on him. His tally of pressures fell from 33 to 21, while nine QB knockdowns represented seven fewer than 2023, according to Pro Football Reference.
Ravens defensive coordinator Zach Orr needs Madubuike to wreck protection with the same frequency he did during his first Pro Bowl-worthy year. Orr needs that version of Madubuike because Baltimore’s defense doesn’t boast another D-tackle with similar agility and quickness.
It means even when Madubuike’s getting doubled and creating plays for others, the Ravens are still missing some pop from their interior pass rush. Like when the Washington Commanders doubled Madubuike, allowing his fellow interior lineman Travis Jones to get home for a sack, highlighted by Ravens.com Editorial Director Ryan Mink.
Jones is more of a run-plugger, so even with the freedom granted him by the extra attention paid to Madubuike, he’ll never be a prolific sack artist. The Ravens need one of those working from the inside to complement their contingent of edge-rushers still headlined by 34-year-old Kyle Van Noy.
Rushing the passer is what Madubuike does best, so Orr and his staff need a new plan to free those talents, as well as to hide the Pro Bowler’s struggles in a key area.
Ravens Need New Plan for Nnamdi Madubuike
Any new plan for Madubuike ought to involve sending his massive frame off the edge. As Sleeper NFL’s Chris Cooper revealed, “Nnamdi Madubuike had a pressure rate of 11.4 when rushing off the edge vs. 8.8% when lined up at 3T. Should he get more snaps at edge this season to unlock his skill set?”
Rushing a near 300-pounder from the outside would not only be a good changeup to the Ravens’ pressure looks. Especially when, as Zrebiec put it, “they have a few outside linebackers who can move inside,” including Van Noy, Odafe Oweh and an emerging central figure, third-year pro Tavius Robinson.
As much as freeing Madubuike up to face more favorable pass-rush matchups, shifting him to the edge will make it tougher for teams to engulf him on running plays. Like when the Kansas City Chiefs successfully trapped Madubuike in Week 1, highlighted by Marcus Johnson of SB Nation’s Silver & Black Pride.
The Ravens don’t rely on Madubuike to stuff the run, at least not at the heart of the trenches. That’s what Jones and a 327-pound replacement for classic nose tackle Michael Pierce whose targeting a breakout are for, but Madubuike would be a formidable edge-setter against teams who prefer running to the perimeter.
Getting Madubuike back to his peak form will be key for the Ravens’ defense returning to its 2023 levels, when the unit allowed the fewest points in the league. His gaining weight is just the start, some new schemes and a subtle role change will also help.
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