The Baltimore Ravens lost a few talented edge players during the 2021 offseason in Matthew Judon, Yannick Ngakoue, and Jihad Ward. In order to replace their production, the team will be relying on both new and returning players to take on big roles and make an immediate impact.
One of those players is Tyus Bowser, who returned to Baltimore on a four year, $24m contract. Kristopher Knox of Bleacher Report put together a list of the best-kept secrets on all 32 NFL teams, and for the Ravens, Bowser was his choice. When explaining why, Knox pointed to Bowser’s ability to contribute on both defense and on special teams.
“Fifth-year linebacker Tyus Bowser has never been to a Pro Bowl, but Ravens fans know he is still a valuable rotational piece. A second-round pick out of Houston in 2017, Bowser has played at least 40 percent of the defensive snaps in each of the past two seasons. He has also been a regular contributor on special teams.”
Knox also shed light on Bowser’s breakout 2020 season, where he was able to take a big step forward and perform extremely well.
“In 2020, Bowser finished the season with 34 total tackles, two sacks, five passes defended and three interceptions. He allowed an opposing quarterback rating of just 42.2.”
Over the course of his four year career, Bowser has accumulated 80 total tackles, 10.5 sacks, and four interceptions. His versatility is an asset for Baltimore’s defense, as he can rush the quarterback, set the edge, and drop back into coverage at a high level. He is going to be called upon to take on a much bigger role in 2021, so the Ravens’ “best-kept secret” could become much more well known over the course of the upcoming season.