There is a strong possibility the Ravens’ front seven could look much different in 2022 than it did last season. On paper, one source of continuity would be defensive linemen Derek Wolfe. However, there is a chance he has already played his final game in the NFL. 
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According to Jonas Shaffer of The Baltimore Sun, Wolfe “said he’s considering retirement but plans to return to the field”. The reason his football future is in doubt stems from multiple injuries. The 32-year-old missed the entire 2021 campaign due to back issues. There was optimism he would be able to return to the field midway through the season, but the team placed him on IR for the second time in November.
The most pressing issue injury-wise for Wolfe is now the recovery from hip surgery he underwent in January. “We’ll see what happens with if I retire or not or if I keep playing”, he recently said. “I’m not sure yet. We’ve got to see how this hip goes”, although Shaffer’s report indicates that the aforementioned back ailment could also remain an issue into the future.
As mentioned, Wolfe does still intend to play in 2022, something he confirmed in a tweet. If so, he would provide a welcomed boost to the teams’ defensive line, which could lose fellow starters Calais Campbell and Brandon Williams in free agency. In 2021, Wolfe’s first season in Baltimore, he totalled 51 tackles, tying his career high. That performance earned him a three-year, $12MM extension last offseason.
A Super Bowl winner during his eight seasons in Denver, Wolfe apparently faces a difficult path to return to the field for a tenth season. If that doesn’t happen, the Ravens would have another hole to fill along their defensive front.