The Ravens have around a dozen players entering a contract season. Who will be the one to capitalize most?
Entering the 2025 NFL season, numerous Ravens have the opportunity to strike while the iron is hot. Such opportunity being performing at their best in a contract season.
We’ve seen it time and time again, players on rosters breaking out in their final season on a rookie deal or making an impact on a short-term “prove-it” contract and cashing in on their production. And for the 2025 season, around a dozen Ravens are eligible to make the leap.
Most recently for the Ravens, defensive tackle Nnamdi Madubuike was their contract-year breakout in 2023. After totaling 8.5 sacks in his first three seasons, Madubuike dominated the trenches for 13 sacks in the final year of his rookie contract. Before him was both Matt Judon (2019) and Za’Darius Smith (2018). The former was then franchise tagged while Smith signed a four-year, $66 million deal.
Contract Year Ravens
- OLB Odafe Oweh
- OLB David Ojabo
- OLB Kyle Van Noy
- RB Derrick Henry
- RB Keaton Mitchell
- WR DeAndre Hopkins
- WR Tylan Wallace
- S Kyle Hamilton*
- C Tyler Linderbaum*
- DT Travis Jones
- TE Isaiah Likely
- TE Charlie Kolar
- CB Jalyn Armour-Davis
- P Jordan Stout
- OL Daniel Faalele
- LS Nick Moore
*- Fifth-year option eligible (due May 1).
Today’s Question of the Day is:
Which Raven in a contract year will have the biggest season in 2025?
My answer: Odafe Oweh, Travis Jones
It’s a two-part answer for me, and lets begin with Oweh.
After three seasons of inconsistency from the 2021 first-round pick, the Ravens saw significant development in their outside linebacker in 2024. He produced 10 sacks on the season after totaling 13 in his first three. His pressure numbers improved and he hit career bests in tackles, solo tackles, tackles for loss and quarterback hits.
Smartly, the Ravens picked up Oweh’s fifth-year option in April 2024, giving them one more year of Oweh on the roster. And now it’s on Oweh to prove it wasn’t a one-year burst. Looking at Oweh’s recent social media updates, he knows it, too.
#Ravens OLB Odafe Oweh with an offseason update…#RavensFlock pic.twitter.com/cUWsKoTe8f
— Brian Wacker (@brianwacker1) March 20, 2025
As for Jones, he looks to be the player with the most opportunity ahead of him.
The Ravens are in need of defensive linemen. While Madubuike is on the roster, the Ravens need another wrecking ball along the interior. And, with defensive tackle Michael Pierce retiring two weeks ago, the Ravens need more from the likes of Jones and Broderick Washington.
Jones finished the regular season as one of the better defensive tackles in the NFL according to PFF. He ranked No. 22 for interior defensive lineman by overall grade, but No. 44 in pass rush grade. With attention on Madubuike and edge rushers Oweh and Van Noy, Jones is in prime position to deliver that all-too-familiar breakout season.