Will linebacker:
| 1st | 2nd |
| Patrick Queen | L.J. Fort |
This position has typically been manned by the more athletic players in Baltimore’s scheme. They often drop back into coverage on tight ends and running backs while offering better sideline-to-sideline ability against the run than a middle linebacker.
With the Ravens running nickel most of the time, they’ll leave the “Will” linebacker on the field while often replacing the middle linebacker with a strong safety. So while Queen might end up getting labeled as the middle linebacker, he’s going to get most of his playing time in this role, which is exactly why Baltimore selected him in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft.
Fort was the Ravens’ insurance option all along, signing him to a two-year extension last season just in case they couldn’t find someone else. That puts him in the backup role behind Queen this season, though they’ll probably split more snaps early until Queen becomes acclimated with the speed and complexity of the NFL.