In response to a question about his expectations for the upcoming NFL season, Baltimore Ravens edge rusher, Odafe Oweh, said that he wants to be “dominant”.
“To be dominant, you know. And just help our defense to be the best thing that we can be this year,” said Oweh, regarding his goals for 2023.
For Baltimore to find defensive success in 2023, their young edge rushers will need to step up. Oweh, a first-round selection in the 2020 NFL Draft, has underwhelmed so far. While he has flashed his athleticism at times, his production has been largely non-existent.
David Ojabo will start opposite Oweh this year. Ojabo was drafted in the second round of the 2022 NFL Draft. He was projected as a top-ten pick but a torn Achilles dropped his draft stock significantly. The former Michigan pass rusher missed most of his rookie season due to the torn Achilles, but his appearances late in the season showed promise.
“We [Oweh and Ojabo] know that there’s a real opportunity right here, a real great story,” said Oweh. He followed that up by saying that him and Ojabo “know the opportunity that we have, we just want to be those guys for Baltimore”.
The Ravens defense stepped up last year when the team traded for Roquan Smith. He was Baltimore’s defensive player of the year, lifting the unit to new heights.
In Smith’s nine 2022 games for Baltimore, the defensive unit managed 10 total turnovers, holding opposing offenses to just 299 yards per game. Had the defense been that effective throughout 2022, they would have ranked second in the NFL.
In short, the Ravens defense enters 2023 brimming with confidence, knowing they are one of the league’s top units.
More defense drills at Ravens football school pic.twitter.com/V9fuKqyufl
— Jamison Hensley (@jamisonhensley) May 17, 2023
Can Ravens’ Odafe Oweh Be “Dominant” in 2023?
With all that said, he Ravens will only find defensive success if Oweh and Ojabo can step up to the plate and do their jobs in 2023. There is a sense around the facility that Oweh has a renewed determination this year, one that could turn into a productive season.
“I didn’t really take a lot of off-season. I went straight to the gym just to try to get stronger because I know there’s no real off-season. But obviously you have to switch your mode to ‘alright, it’s the next page, we’re going to do this here’ but, as a competitor, you’re going to remember the things you have to work on, you remember the things that you missed on so that you can bounce back for the next year”, explained Oweh.
For Oweh, this understanding is important. He, and Ojabo, are both still new to football. This was a marked weakness in their respective scouting reports when they entered the league. As such, Oweh’s potential is still largely untapped. He has the right physical tools, but that has yet to turn into productive seasons.
2023 Feels Different
Oweh enters the most important year of his career so far as general manager Eric DeCosta must decide on his fifth-year option by May 2024. Players tend to play better in contract years and Oweh should be no different.
Oweh is also learning from a new outside linebackers coach in Chuck Smith. Smith, a former NFL edge rusher, has been developing a strong relationship with Oweh. Oweh has been quick to praise Smith’s expertise, citing the importance of Smith’s playing experience, in particular.
From Oweh’s perspective, this year certainly has a different feel. Smith’s appointment, more experience and the incentive of the fifth-year option could all drive Oweh to a breakout year.
There is one more important factor, however. Ojabo has been speaking highly of his partnership with Oweh, saying the two want to be “impact players” and, to do this, have been “crafting all off-season”. Under the tutelage of “guru” outside linebackers coach, Smith, Oweh and Ojabo’s more stable partnership may prove pivotal. Prior to this young pass rush tandem, the Ravens had paired Oweh with a revolving door of rotational veterans, from Justin Houstin to Jason Pierre-Paul.
“We’ve been crafting all offseason.” @DavidOjabo on working with @DafeOweh this offseason: pic.twitter.com/giIdhq9v5W
— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) May 17, 2023
Main Photo: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports
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