Defenders Shine in Preseason Debut

The Ravens got an exciting first look at their top young defenders this past Thursday night headlined by the preseason debuts of rookies Malaki Starks and Mike Green.

Starks only played 12 snaps against the Colts, but he managed to flash in a 1-on-1 rep against first-round tight end Tyler Warren.

Indianapolis went five-wide on a third down in the first quarter with Starks following Warren to the boundary. Anthony Richardson was looking that way even before the snap, but Starks stonewalled Warren up the sideline and forced Richardson to work back across the middle. (He tried to hit Ashton Dulin, but Jalyn Armour-Davis was able to fly in for the PBU.)

Even on a limited snap count, Starks lined up all around the defense on Thursday. He will primarily play free safety in the regular season, but a healthy Ravens secondary will be able to mix and match coverage alignments and assignments as much as they want.

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The rest of the Ravens’ defensive backs put together a strong showing as well. T.J. Tampa has been up-and-down during training camp, but he played almost every snap at outside cornerback and consistently held up on coverage. The second-year cornerback has gotten bumped down the depth chart by Baltimore’s veteran additions this offseason, making the preseason important for his development. His best traits coming out of Iowa State were his physicality and awareness at the catch point, and both were on display on several reps. On one play, Adonai Mitchell got by Tampa at the snap, but he recovered and used his length to break up the pass.

Tampa’s extended run was partially due to a season-ending knee injury to Bilhal Kone. He made a few positive plays, including a good read on an RPO pass attempt, and went down after forcing an incompletion in the end zone. The sixth-rounder had to be carted off the field, and John Harbaugh confirmed after the game that he would be out for the season.

Kone’s injury is a reminder of the importance of cornerback health and depth in the NFL. Few players know that better than Jalyn Armour-Davis, who hasn’t played more than eight games in a season since he was drafted. The coaching staff has raved about his football I.Q. and newfound versatility this offseason while frankly acknowledging his need to stay on the field.

Armour-Davis cleared that (relatively low) bar on Thursday with 38 snaps and two PBUs. He also completely locked up Mitchell in man coverage on one rep. He primarily lined up on the boundary with a few series in the slot and looked like solid depth at both positions. If he can avoid another major injury, he should be a lock for a roster spot and one of the next men up in the secondary this season.

The Ravens’ front seven allowed a handful of chunk gains on the ground, including a few scrambles by Riley Leonard, but they also generated plenty of pressure on all three Colts QBs.

Mike Green had some of the most exciting pass rush reps of the night. He’s still working on his pass rush plan and sequencing and tends to throw everything at blockers to see what will work. However, his bend, burst, and set of initial moves should lead to some quick sacks this year. He’s also showing clear development as a run defender, using his athleticism to out-position blockers and set a hard edge.

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Green showed off some astonishing ankle flexion to bend around the edge on a play that ended in a Daniel Jones sack, and there is always something to be said for players with unique physical or athletic characteristics.

That rep must have been pass rush coach Chuck Smith’s favorite of the night. Green met Isaac at the quarterback after the second-year outside linebacker dipped under the Colts’ right tackle into the pocket. Isaac has clearly benefitted from a full offseason and seems to have the Ravens’ fifth edge spot locked down.

David Ojabo’s unblocked sack was much less impressive than his edge-setting and a handful of solid rushes. With plenty of solid edge depth in Baltimore, he needs to prove he can make an impact in the last two preseason games to secure a roster spot.

The Ravens’ interior D-line depth had a great night. John Jenkins – who came to Baltimore with a reputation as a run defender – surprised as a pass rusher, and Brent Urban showed that he can still hold the point of attack at 34 years old. They only needed a handful of snaps before giving way to a talented young group of interior rushers that hasn’t stood out in practice but seemed to be unleashed by the real-game action.

Sixth-round pick Aeneas Peebles wasn’t as explosive or productive as Green, but his similar combination of initial twitch, hand fighting, and endless motor made him an exciting watch on Thursday. C.J. Okoye used his massive size to ragdoll Colts center Tanor Bortolini and could get some playing time as a third nose tackle after two seasons on the practice squad. C.J. Ravenell looks even better than he did last preseason and may not sneak through waivers again if he stacks two more performances like Thursday’s.

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Source: https://russellstreetreport.com/2025/08/12/camp-notes/defenders/