Baltimore Ravens defensive tackle Justin Madubuike is in the midst of one of the best stretches of play we’ve ever seen from the position. So far this season, the former third-round pick has recorded a team-high 12 sacks in 14 starts while adding one forced fumble, 45 tackles, 11 tackles-for-loss, and 30 quarterback hits. While these stats are all impressive, what truly sets him apart is his consistency.
Madubuike has recorded at least a half sack in 12 of a possible 14 games, including each of the past 11. This type of consistency is nearly unprecedented, and he will set an NFL record if he can keep it up for just one more game.
With one more half sack against the San Francisco 49ers, Justin Madubuike will be the first player in NFL history to take down a quarterback in 12 consecutive games. As of this posting, he’s currently tied with star pass rushers Chris Jones, Trey Hendrickson, Jared Allen, and Shaun Ellis.
Justin Madubuike Can Make NFL History In Week 16
Can He Break the Record?
Justin Madubuike is a fantastic player, but he’ll have his work cut out for him in Week 16. The San Francisco 49ers could very well be the best team in the league, and it’s hard to take Brock Purdy down. Following Week 15’s action, Purdy has only taken 26 sacks all year, the 21st-most in the league. Kyle Shanahan loves getting the ball out quickly, and Purdy has some hidden pocket mobility to dodge the rush.
The silver lining here is that the 49ers offensive line isn’t all that great. Purdy gets the ball out quickly, which is why the sack numbers are low, but Justin Madubuike should be able to win his matchups consistently. Left tackle Trent Williams is a superstar, but Madubuike won’t face off against him. Instead, he’ll take an interior offensive line that is lacking in talent.
Recording a sack in the NFL is never easy, and the 49ers will probably center their blocking scheme around minimizing Madubuike’s impact on the game. However, with that being said, there is a decent shot the former third-round pick earns the record in Week 16.
Justin Madubuike Is About to Get Paid
Justin Madubuike has always been a good player, but he chose one heck of a season to break out. The defensive tackle is entering the final year of his rookie contract and will earn a massive payday, regardless of whether or not he breaks the record. In today’s pass-heavy league, every single team in the NFL is looking for someone who can consistently get after the quarterback. Reliable interior pass rushers are rare, and Madubuike could be looking at a Chris Jones type of contract.
The biggest question is whether or not the Ravens will be able to hand that out. As of this posting, Spotrac has the Ravens with just $11.59 million in 2024 cap space. While they could cut some players and restructure contracts to increase that number, it might be hard to hand out a big-money contract to Justin Madubuike without sacrificing crucial depth at other positions.
Only time will tell if Madubuike comes back for a second contract with the Ravens. In the meantime, Baltimore will happily take one of the best pass rushers in the game as they search for their first championship since the 2012-2013 season.
Main Photo: Jessica Rapfogel – USA Today Sports
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