Tag: Odafe Oweh

Will Ravens DT Justin Madubuike return in rare form?

Baltimore Ravens DT Justin Madubuike tallied 13 of his teams 60 sacks last season. Will Madubuike return in rare form?

Baltimore Ravens DT Justin Madubuike tallied 13 of his team’s 60 sacks last season. Will Madubuike return in rare form under new defensive coordinator Zach Orr?

While Pittsburgh Steelers inside linebacker Patrick Queen is busy bumping his gums, he should be thanking Madubuike for the blitz lanes that allowed him to tally up ten stuffs last year. Madubuike’s work in the a-gap cannot be overstated, pressing opposing guards out of position and causing significant disruption in the backfield.  


What’s even better for Madubuike this year is that he’ll have practice reps against an even more physical running back in Derrick Henry. The Ravens will likely digress in pass defense, and if so, Orr will need to scheme zone blitz plays to create a pass rush advantage. 

The Ravens hope Madubuike’s four-year, $98 million deal will motivate him to win at the snap until Orr can structure a new scheme to replicate last year’s production.

Madubuike should expect help from linebackers Kyle Van Noy and Odafe Oweh who combined for 14 sacks last season. With linebacker Jadeveon Clowney gone, Madubuike must be ready to shoulder the load as the Ravens’ main guy in the pass rush.

Saints decline to pick up Payton Turner’s fifth year option

The New Orleans Saints declined to pick up Payton Turner’s fifth year option, meaning he’ll become a free agent in 2025 — if he lasts that long:

The NFL deadline for teams to pick up the fifth-year options for 2025 on their first round picks in the 2021 draft came and went on Thursday, without any movement from the New Orleans Saints. This means that defensive end Payton Turner is entering a contract year in 2024, and that he’ll be a free agent in 2025 unless he earns an extension.

It would have cost the Saints more than $13 million in 2025 to exercise Turner’s option, so it’s easy to understand why they declined to do so. Just 18 of the 32 first-round picks in 2021 had those options picked up by their teams, suggesting a hit rate of about 56% — with the Saints among 14 teams on the wrong side of that percentage.

What’s frustrating is that all three of the players at Turner’s position, who were picked immediately after him in Round 1, have outplayed him:

  • Payton Turner: 3 sacks, 8 hits, 8 tackles for loss in 15 games
  • Gregory Rousseau: 17 sacks, 42 hits, 30 TFL in 46 games
  • Odafe Oweh: 13 sacks, 38 hits, 16 TFL in 45 games
  • Joe Tryon-Shoyinka: 13 sacks, 31 hits, 18 TFL in 51 games

Of that group, only Turner and Tryon-Shoyinka did not have their options picked up for 2025, which goes to show how each team feels about those players. There’s still time for Turner to change the narrative surrounding his career, but that time is running out.

Injuries and inconsistent play have been the story of his career so far. Last season it was just bad luck — Turner enjoyed the best summer of his career and didn’t miss a single practice during training camp, only to go down with a serious turf toe injury early in the season opener. He underwent surgery and didn’t return until the regular season finale. With everyone on last year’s depth chart returning and Chase Young added to the mix, Turner needs to step up and earn his roster spot. There’s a real possibility he gets let go during cuts in September.

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Ravens granted international roster exemption for LB David Ojabo

The Baltimore Ravens have granted outside linebacker David Ojabo an international roster exemption, opening up a spot for an extra player this offseason. Ravens were also granted international roster exemption for OLB David Ojabo. This allows Ravens …

The Baltimore Ravens have granted outside linebacker David Ojabo an international roster exemption, opening up a spot for an extra player this offseason.

According to NFL.com, “a qualifying international player is a person whose citizenship and principal place of residence are outside the United States and Canada, and who have a maximum of two years of United States high school experience.”

Ojabo, a 2022 second-round pick out of Michigan by the Ravens, was born in Nigeria but moved to Scotland in 2007. At the age of 17, he moved to the United States and initially played basketball at Blair Academy in Blairstown, New Jersey. Soon after, he switched to football and became teammates with Baltimore outside linebacker Odafe Oweh.

Ojabo played college at the University of Michigan under head coach Jim Harbaugh. Ojabo decided to enter the 2022 NFL Draft, forgoing his senior season, and was projected by many as a first-round pick before tearing his Achilles at Michigan’s Pro Day.

The Ravens decided to take a chance on the uber-athletic pass rusher in the second round, reuniting Ojabo with his college play-caller, Mike Macdonald, in his first year as Baltimore’s defensive coordinator. Ojabo missed most of his rookie season with a torn Achilles but was able to notch a strip sack in the regular season finale against the Cincinnati Bengals.

Ojabo had another strip-sack in Week 1 to start his second season against the Houston Texans. On September 30, He was placed on injured reserve and would not return to action with what was later revealed by head coach John Harbaugh to be a partially torn ACL.

Ojabo now enters a pivotal third season in the NFL, and while he will not count against a roster spot for now, he will still count on the 53-man roster once the season starts.

Ravens pick up fifth-year option for former Penn State star Odafe Oweh

Odafe Oweh will be sticking around wiht the Baltimore Ravens for at least two more seasons.

Days after wrapping up the 2024 NFL draft, the Baltimore Ravens continue to find themselves in the Penn State football headlines. After using a third-round pick to select edge rusher Adisa Isaac in the draft, the Ravens have made the decision to pick up a fifth-year option on another former Nittany Lion, [autotag]Odafe Oweh[/autotag].

“We are happy to announce that the Ravens will be picking up Odafe Oweh’s fifth-year option,” Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta said in a released statement. “We look forward to watching him play great for is this year.”

Oweh was a first-round pick of the Ravens in the 2021 NFL draft, and he signed a fairly standard four-year contract with an option for a fifth year. Oweh is entering the fourth year of his rookie contract, but the option will keep him in Baltimore through the end of the 2025 season before being eligible to become an unrestricted free agent in 2026. At that time, Oweh will be 28 years old, and that could put him in the market for a nice contract if things continue to go well with the Ravens.

Oweh is coming off a 2023 season in which he played in 13 games, the fewest games in any of his three seasons in the NFL so far. He also started five games, forced two fumbles and tied a career-best 5.0 sacks.

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Ravens exercise 5th-year option on edge rusher Odafe Oweh

The Baltimore Ravens are picking up the fifth-year option on Odafe Oweh, ensuring he makes

The Baltimore Ravens announced on Tuesday that they have exercised the fifth-year option on pass rusher Odafe Oweh, extending his rookie contract through the 2025 season.

Baltimore drafted Oweh in the first round of the 2021 NFL draft out of Penn State. He started in 13 games last season and registered five sacks, tied for the most in his career. He also had 23 tackles, 12 quarterback hits, and two forced fumbles.

“We are happy to announce that the Ravens will be picking up Odafe Oweh’s fifth-year option,” General Manager Eric DeCosta announced. “We look forward to watching him play great football for us this year.”

Upon being exercised, the fifth-year option is fully guaranteed, and any base salary in the player’s fourth year that was not fully guaranteed will become so.

Oweh will earn $13,251,000 in 2025 while carrying a $3,608,942 cap number in 2024.

OWeh got better over time last season, with all five of his sacks coming down the stretch, but the production was elite and worth more than just those totals.

Oweh’s pass rush win rate of 18.2% ranked tied for 10th among all EDGE defenders with at least 100 pass rushes, per Pro Football Focus.

He’ll now work to replace Jadeveon Clowney’s as the club’s top edge rusher.

Adisa Isaac describes what kind of player the Ravens are getting

The Baltimore Ravens added another talented pass rusher to their defense by selecting Penn State outside linebacker Adisa Isaac with the No. 93 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. When speaking with the media, Isaac was asked how he would describe …

The Baltimore Ravens added another talented pass rusher to their defense by selecting Penn State outside linebacker Adisa Isaac with the No. 93 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. When speaking with the media, Isaac was asked how he would describe himself as a player and what the Ravens were getting in him.

“I would say I’m just disruptive, very lengthy, bendy, twitchy, very violent player,” Isaac said. “I feel like I’m very versatile. I can make plays on dropping, make plays on rushing, make plays in the run game. I’m just a very versatile player that you can plug and play anywhere. I just feel like I bring a lot to the Ravens organization. We know there is obviously great tradition here, so I’m just excited to learn from all these players and just get better, do my thing and be the best player I can to help this team win.”

Isaac reunites with former college teammate Odafe Oweh now in Baltimore to go with Kyle Van Noy, David Ojabo, Tavius Robinson, and Malik Hamm at the outside linebacker position.

Ravens rookie Adisa Issac talks about relationship with former Penn State teammate Odafe Oweh

The Baltimore Ravens reunited outside linebacker Odafe Oweh with a former teammate when they selected Penn State edge rusher Adisa Isaac with the No. 93 overall pick in the third round of the 2024 NFL Draft. While addressing the media following his …

The Baltimore Ravens reunited outside linebacker Odafe Oweh with a former teammate when they selected Penn State edge rusher Adisa Isaac with the No. 93 overall pick in the third round of the 2024 NFL Draft.

While addressing the media following his selection in the draft, Isaac was asked how familiar he was with Oweh.

“Yes. I’m very familiar with [Odafe Oweh],” Isaac said. “He helped recruit me to Penn State. We ended up playing together [for] a couple years before he went to the Ravens, so we’re tight. He’s from a similar area to me, so we have a lot of connections there. He was just a great, great teammate [and] a great big brother to me coming into Penn State. I just thank him for hyping me [up] when I first got there as a youngin,’ so now, for it to come full circle, it’s a very unique situation.”

Oweh was selected with the No. 31 overall pick by the Ravens in the 2021 NFL Draft. Through his first three seasons in the NFL, Oweh has accumulated 13 sacks. Baltimore has a decision on whether or not to pick up Oweh’s fifth-year option soon, but the two former Nittany Lions will at least have this season to play alongside each other once again.

 

Eric DeCosta noncommital on whether Ravens will pick up Odafe Oweh’s 5th-year option

Eric DeCosta declines to comment on whether or not the team will pick up Odafe Oweh’s fifth-year option. Following the conclusion of Day 3 of the 2024 NFL Draft, Baltimore Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta met with the media. During the session, …

Eric DeCosta declines to comment on whether or not the team will pick up Odafe Oweh’s fifth-year option.

Following the conclusion of Day 3 of the 2024 NFL Draft, Baltimore Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta met with the media. During the session, DeCosta was asked about possibly picking up 2021 first-round outside linebacker Odafe Oweh’s fifth-year option ahead of his fourth season.

“We’ll probably have an announcement in the next few days, I think,” DeCosta said.

DeCosta was then asked if he had decided on the situation.

“You know what? I learned from [executive vice president] Ozzie [Newsome] never to make a decision until you have to, and that has served me well. I think it’s smart, usually, to act that way,” DeCosta said.

The Ravens selected the athletic Penn State edge rusher with the No. 31 pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, using the pick received from the Kansas City Chiefs in exchange for left tackle Orlando Brown Jr.  Oweh’s career has been littered with flashes of his immense potential as a pass rusher. Still, the stats have yet to back it up with just 13 sacks through three seasons despite consistently getting pressure on opposing quarterbacks.

If picked up, Oweh’s fifth-year option would cost $13.3 million next season.

Ravens rookie pass rusher Adisa Isaac named one of the “Elite” round 3 picks by PFF

The Baltimore Ravens added more depth at the outside linebacker position by selecting Penn State’s Adisa Isaac with the No. 93 overall pick in the third round of the 2024 NFL Draft. Isaac was labeled one of the three “Elite” picks from the third …

The Baltimore Ravens added more depth at the outside linebacker position by selecting Penn State’s Adisa Isaac with the No. 93 overall pick in the third round of the 2024 NFL Draft.

Isaac was labeled one of the three “Elite” picks from the third round by PFF.

Isaac was a productive pass rusher at the collegiate level, racking up 11.5 sacks in his final two seasons as a Nittany Lion. Isaac will join former teammate Odafe Oweh now with the Ravens to round out an outside linebacker group consisting of Kyle Van Noy, David Ojabo, Tavius Robinson, and Malik Hamm.

The Ravens will need to fill the sizeable void left by veteran outside linebacker Jadeveon Clowney after he departed to sign with the Carolina Panthers in free agency. Isaac will have an opportunity to earn playing time early on in first-year defensive coordinator Zachary Orr’s defense.

 

Adisa Isaac drafted by Ravens in 3rd round of 2024 NFL draft

The Baltimore Ravens added another Penn State defensive lineman to their roster with a late third-round draft pick.

The wait is over for Penn State edge rusher [autotag]Adisa Isaac[/autotag]. The Baltimore Ravens used a late third-round pick of the 2024 NFL draft to add Isaac to their defense, giving Penn State its fourth NFL draft pick of the year.

The Ravens selected Isaac with the 30th pick of Round 3 of the NFL draft on Friday evening. Isaac was the 94th overall pick in this year’s draft. He is the second of two third-round draft picks, joining offensive lineman Caedan Wallace.

Isaac will join a Ravens defense that includes another former Penn State defensive end, [autotag]Odafe Oweh[/autotag]. Oweh was a first-round pick of the Ravens in 2021.

Isaac was the top-ranked recruit in the state of New York when he committed to Penn State in the Class of 2019, and he came with early expectations of being an early-round draft pick in the NFL. It may be safe to say he met those expectations. Isaac committed to Penn State over offers from Miami, Texas A&M, Alabama, and Auburn.

Isaac made appearances in 11 games as a true freshman in 2019 and saw some playing time during the 2020 COVID season. He missed the 2021 season due to injury but returned to start all 13 games for the Nittany Lions in 2022 and continued to be a defensive starter and leader in 2023 instead of entering the NFL draft a year ago. Isaac earned first-team All-Big Ten honors for the 2023 season after being a third-team All-Big Ten player in 2022.

Catch all of the latest updates from the NFL draft with USA TODAY’s live draft tracker. For a look at each Penn State draft prospect, be sure to check out our Penn State NFL draft tracker.

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