Window Closing? Baltimore’s Linebacker Riddle Gets Tighter
The Baltimore Ravens entered this season with major questions surrounding their linebacker position alongside All-Pro Roquan Smith, and those questions have centered around former third-round pick Trenton Simpson. At just 24 years old, Simpson was once viewed as the heir apparent to Patrick Queen, who left Baltimore for Pittsburgh in free agency prior to the 2024 campaign. The young linebacker entered his second season with high expectations, as the Ravens believed his speed and sideline-to-sideline ability would fill the void left by Queen. Instead, his career has stalled, leaving many to wonder whether he is running out of chances to secure a starting spot in Baltimore’s defense.
Last year was supposed to be Simpson’s breakout campaign, but instead, the season unraveled quickly for both him and the defense. Through the first 10 weeks of 2024, Baltimore’s defense looked uncharacteristically shaky, ranking near the bottom of the league in most major categories. Simpson was one of the players benched during that stretch, with safety Marcus Williams also removed from the starting lineup as the Ravens coaching staff made sweeping changes. Those adjustments helped fix their defensive woes, as Baltimore closed the year on a high note and finished the final six to seven weeks among the NFL’s top units, but Simpson was left to watch from the sidelines, a disappointing turn for a player counted on to fill such a crucial role.
Heading into this season, Simpson spoke about turning the page, but the Ravens organization signaled they were not willing to wait forever on his development. Baltimore drafted linebacker Teddye Buchanan from California in the fourth round this past spring, adding direct competition at Simpson’s position. If that was meant to light a fire under Simpson, so far it has not resulted in the desired outcome. Through two games, the Ravens have leaned far more on Buchanan, who saw the field for 82% of defensive snaps against Cleveland in Week Two compared to Simpson’s 21%. Numbers like those are a strong indication of where the coaching staff’s trust currently lies.
Baltimore’s defensive coaches, led by second-year defensive coordinator Zach Orr, were adamant following the Week One loss to Buffalo that they would not hesitate to make personnel changes to avoid another slow start. Veteran leaders echoed that statement, with the collective message being that accountability would come quickly in 2025. The decision to ride with Buchanan in such a high-volume role against the Browns reflects that philosophy, as the Ravens were determined not to begin another season at 0-2. The move seemed to work in the short term, with Baltimore bouncing back to defeat Cleveland and steady the defensive effort.
Now, the question is whether Simpson has any real path forward to reclaiming his role in Baltimore’s plans. With Buchanan already making an impression and the Ravens willing to trust him in key moments, Simpson finds himself slipping further from the spotlight. Opportunity in the NFL can vanish quickly, and Simpson’s current trajectory raises concerns about whether he will ever become the long-term starter the Ravens envisioned. Unless he can regroup and force his way back into rotations with improved performance, the door may close on him in Baltimore, leaving the once-promising successor to Patrick Queen in a battle simply to remain relevant in the Ravens’ linebacker room.
