Pundit Says Ravens’ Belief in Odafe Oweh Is Well-Founded
While outdoors linebacker Odafe Oweh has but to have a significant breakout season throughout his three years with the Ravens, The Baltimore Banner’s Jonas Shaffer famous that Oweh’s enchancment as a cross rusher “has been swift and regular,” which is why the group selecting up the 2021 first-round choose’s fifth-year choice was an excellent transfer.
“According to Pro Football Focus, his cross rush win fee on ‘true cross units’ — a pattern that excludes performs with play-action passes, screens, brief drop-backs, a time to throw of lower than two seconds or fewer than 4 cross rushers — has jumped 12 proportion factors since his rookie yr,” Shaffer wrote. “According to the NFL’s Next Gen Stats, his quarterback strain fee rebounded from a dip in 2022 to a profession excessive final season. Oweh ranked close to the highest of the league in each metrics in 2023.”
Shaffer stated Oweh now wants to show extra strain into sacks. Oweh has 13 profession sacks in 45 video games, however Shaffer stated the 25-year-old has the instruments to tremendously enhance on these numbers.
“The subsequent step in Oweh’s evolution is broadening his cross rush arsenal whereas refining it,” Shaffer wrote. “He just isn’t a one-pitch participant. Far from it. He obtained to sacks with a mixture of strikes final season, together with two-hand swipes, spins and rips. Oweh’s cross rush plan might be predictable at occasions final season, nonetheless, and it appeared to disregard the absolute best cocktails out there on his menu.
“He confirmed his size and energy when setting the sting, grading out nicely on PFF as a run defender. He confirmed his velocity within the open area and as a cross rusher, particularly on effort performs. Rarely, although, did Oweh mix all of his most intimidating traits. He stated earlier than final season that he was nonetheless ‘studying who I’m as a rusher,’ and he known as himself a ‘power-explosive edge rusher.’ But that speed-to-power potential — long-arm strikes and bull rushes the place Oweh would stroll the opposing deal with again into the quarterback’s lap — appeared solely in flashes.”
Shaffer stated one other yr or two of progress below Outside Linebackers Coach Chuck Smith will profit Oweh, who has all the time had star potential.
“The Ravens realize it, too,” Shaffer wrote. “A $13.3 million wage may look like an enormous threat now. Before lengthy, it might be a small value to pay for a game-changing piece.”
Two Ravens Matchups Ranked Among Top 5 Games of 2024
NFL.coms Kevin Patra revealed his picks for the highest 10 video games of the 2024 season, and the Ravens have been concerned in two of the highest 5.
Patra put the battle of archrivals between the Ravens and Steelers at No. 1, even forward of the Chiefs-49ers Super Bowl rematch.
“Provided he is the starter for Pittsburgh on the time, Russell Wilson’s return to Denver will get loads of press, however so far as pure watchability, his introduction to this AFC North rivalry within the first of the Steelers’ and Ravens’ annual showdowns gives a a lot larger fee of return,” Patra wrote. “Both golf equipment have gone by way of a little bit of a metamorphosis after flaming out final season. The new quarterback duo in Pittsburgh — Wilson and Justin Fields — is clearly the highest storyline. Whoever winds up because the QB1 provides the Steelers extra upside than that they had final season. Pittsburgh added beef on the offensive line within the draft after getting pushed across the previous few years.
“With King Henry pounding the rock for Baltimore alongside Lamar Jackson, we might get an old-school Ravens-Steelers matchup with rather more physicality than we have seen these days. Given that their division performs groups from the NFC East this season, each these squads may have loads of prime affairs in opposition to the likes of the Cowboys and Eagles. But for me, nothing will get the juices flowing like a hard-hitting Steelers-Ravens slobber knocker.”
