The conclusion of the Baltimore Ravens’ 2024 season was far from satisfying. In fact, it was one of the most traumatic endings the franchise has faced in recent years.
For the second straight year, it felt like a championship opportunity slipped through their fingers — almost literally, when recalling Zay Flowers’ fumble against the Kansas City Chiefs and Mark Andrews’ crucial drop against the Buffalo Bills as defining plays.
Still, heading into 2025, the team boasts one of the NFL’s top offenses, led by quarterback Lamar Jackson and running back Derrick Henry. To make another deep run, Baltimore focused its offseason investments on the defensive side of the ball, and a second-round edge rusher has emerged as the top rookie to watch during the team’s minicamp.
Mike Green Shines As the Top Rookie To Watch in Ravens Minicamp
Historically, Baltimore’s championship runs have always been anchored by dominant defenses. In recent years, the same trend has continued, though to a lesser degree. Today, the team’s identity has shifted toward offense, with Jackson firmly established as one of the league’s top four quarterbacks.
In 2024, the team lost defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald to the Seattle Seahawks — a move that raised doubts about the unit’s ability to remain elite. Under new coordinator Zach Orr, however, the Ravens still delivered a top-eight defense, according to the PFSN Defense+ metric, highlighted by a run defense that ranked No. 1 in the entire NFL.
Where the team struggled was in the pass rush. Baltimore finished just 21st in pressure rate at 33%, a result of a front that couldn’t consistently collapse the pocket. To address that, the team selected edge rusher Mike Green out of Marshall in the second round — excellent value for a player who slid due to off-field concerns.
Mike Green provides a ton of upside & potential for the Ravens in 2025, and beyond. His ability to get to the QB? Well-documented. Run Defense? Underrated.
But plays like this? He has elite level athleticism to disrupt the play at multiple points in time.#Ravens #RavensFlock pic.twitter.com/96CDqk0I5K— All 22 Films (@All_22_NFL_Cuts) April 30, 2025
On the field, Green posted 17 sacks and 23 tackles for loss in his final college season, eye-popping numbers that made him a draft standout, even if questions remained about the level of competition he faced. His explosiveness and raw pass-rushing tools make him one of the most intriguing developmental prospects in this year’s class.
Brandon Austin highlighted one rookie from each NFL team to watch during minicamp, and Green was his pick for Baltimore, specifically because of how well he could fit into an already strong unit. With the rest of the defense operating at a high level, Green’s emergence could elevate the group into the league’s top five, provided he can consistently pressure opposing quarterbacks.
“His fluidity should allow him to play stand-up edge rusher snaps for the Ravens’ odd fronts, and he adds important depth to a position where Odafe Oweh is in the final year of his rookie contract,” Austin wrote.
The Ravens enter the season as one of the AFC’s top Super Bowl contenders, but to get there, they’ll need to overcome the Kansas City Chiefs and Buffalo Bills, the teams that knocked them out of the playoffs in each of the past two years. Whether it’s by generating more pressure or closing out games more effectively, expectations begin now at minicamp.
