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Jason Pierre-Paul

Jason Pierre-Paul Seeking NFL Return

December 10th, 2024 at 9:22pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

Veteran edge rusher Jason Pierre-Paul is “in great shape and ready to come in and contribute,” according to KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson.

Pierre has not played in the NFL for almost a year. He played in two games for the Dolphins in 2023 after they signed him from the Saints’ practice squad, where he made one appearance as a game day elevation.

Pierre-Paul played a total of 30 snaps between defense and special teams in 2023, but only recorded two tackles (one for loss) and zero sacks. He also appeared in 26 games for the Buccaneers and the Ravens in 2021 and 2022, but recorded just 5.5 sacks across both years after at least 7.0 in his last six healthy seasons.

Pierre-Paul’s 94.5 career sacks may tempt a playoff contender in need of pass-rushing help, but Pierre-Paul’s age and lack of recent production limits his upside. The former All-Pro will turn 36 on January 1, and few players at any position have been able to maintain their effectiveness at that age, much less as an edge defender where athleticism is paramount.

If Pierre-Paul receives any interest from an NFL team, it will most likely begin with a stint on a practice squad where he can prove himself in practice and earn game day elevations to audition for a playoff roster spot.

Dolphins Waive OLB Jason Pierre-Paul, Activate RB Chris Brooks From IR

December 19th, 2023 at 3:07pm CST by Sam Robinson

Jason Pierre-Paul‘s stay with his hometown team may end up being short-lived. Not long after signing Pierre-Paul off the Saints’ practice squad, the Dolphins waived him.

This move will send the veteran edge rusher to the waiver wire. While Pierre-Paul would be eligible to land on Miami’s practice squad if he clears waivers, the Dolphins brought back Melvin Ingram last week. JPP’s two-game stay included just five defensive snaps; he logged 17 during his one game as a Saint.

Pierre-Paul’s exit clears a roster spot for running back Chris Brooks, whom the Dolphins activated from IR on Tuesday. A rookie UDFA, Brooks has worked as a backup this season. He has logged 15 carries while playing on special teams. The Dolphins now only have one IR activation remaining. Brooks’ return may lead to Salvon Ahmed ending the season on IR, as the Dolphins recently placed starting linebacker Jerome Baker on IR with an MCL injury.

Because the Dolphins signed JPP off the Saints’ P-squad, they needed to keep him on their active roster for three weeks. Tuesday marks the three-week point. Considering Miami cut bait when first permitted to do so does not exactly point to the accomplished veteran being in the team’s plans, but we will see how the AFC East leaders proceed if he clears waivers.

Pierre-Paul, 34, angled to sign with a contender. It took the two-time Super Bowl starter until November to score a deal, with the Saints extending an opportunity. Pierre-Paul now joins ex-Ravens teammate Justin Houston on the waiver wire. While Houston fared better last season by leading Baltimore with 9.5 sacks, Pierre-Paul started over him. Despite signing the former first-rounder in-season, the Ravens used him as a 13-game starter. JPP only totaled three sacks in 2022, however, and has not eclipsed that number since the Buccaneers’ 2020 Super Bowl-winning campaign.

The Dolphins have been active in pursuing help at this position in recent weeks. The Jaelan Phillips Achilles tear provided a costly setback for a team that has seen extensive injuries impact its offensive and defensive lines. Miami, however, still has Bradley Chubb, Andrew Van Ginkel, Emmanuel Ogbah and second-year player Cameron Goode on its 53-man roster. It would seem Ingram’s return to Miami’s active roster is imminent. The former Pro Bowler tallied six sacks as a Dolphins rotational rusher last season.

Dolphins To Sign Jason Pierre-Paul Off Saints’ Practice Squad

November 27th, 2023 at 6:42pm CST by Sam Robinson

Jason Pierre-Paul will be relocating once again. Spending two weeks on the Saints’ practice squad, the veteran pass rusher is headed to Miami. The Dolphins are signing him off New Orleans’ P-squad, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reports.

A South Florida native, Pierre-Paul made his Saints debut against the Falcons on Sunday. But New Orleans will not sign him to its active roster to block this Miami poaching. The Dolphins attempted to claim Derek Barnett on waivers, seeing the Texans’ waiver priority win out. JPP looks to be a consolation prize of sorts, but the two-time Super Bowl winner obviously brings a considerable pass-rushing pedigree to the team.

While Pierre-Paul made his NFL mark with the Giants and later as a Shaq Barrett tag-team partner as a Buccaneer, he is a Deerfield Beach native who starred at South Florida in the late 2000s. Earlier this month, Pierre-Paul let it be known he was not intending to retire and had aimed to sign with a contender. The Saints endured their sixth loss Sunday, and while they are still in position to vie for the NFC South title, Pierre-Paul’s hometown team is 8-3 and pursuing its first AFC East crown since 2008.

Early in his age-34 season, Pierre-Paul played 17 defensive snaps for the Saints against the Falcons. The Saints could have blocked this Dolphins move by signing JPP to their 53-man roster; by leaving him unprotected, New Orleans will let its recent signee leave. By grabbing Pierre-Paul off another team’s P-squad, the Dolphins must keep him on their 53-man roster for at least three weeks. The team will likely hope this partnership lasts longer.

This move marks a response to Jaelan Phillips‘ Achilles tear. Phillips’ 6.5 sacks are tied with Christian Wilkins for the team lead. Barnett is seven years younger than Pierre-Paul, but the latter has considerable experience assisting contenders. Pierre-Paul and Barrett hounded Patrick Mahomes in Super Bowl LV, and JPP dropped Aaron Rodgers twice in that year’s NFC championship game. Pierre-Paul completed a 2011 breakout season — a first-team All-Pro campaign — by leading a stacked Giants D-end batch to a Super Bowl title in 2011. For his career, Pierre-Paul has 94.5 career sacks and 21 forced fumbles.

Last season, the Ravens signed JPP in September but used him as a starter in 13 regular-season games. This resulted in only three sacks and three QB hits. In 12 Bucs games during the 2021 season, JPP only notched five QB hits. The Dolphins are likely planning a rotational role for the experienced edge defender, with Bradley Chubb anchoring their OLB contingent. The team also has seen Zach Sieler post five sacks and Andrew Van Ginkel contribute four. Despite being demoted, Emmanuel Ogbah has four sacks. The highly paid pass rusher, however, has only been on the field for 21% of the Dolphins’ defensive snaps.

Saints Place CB Marshon Lattimore On IR; Derek Carr Clears Concussion Protocol

November 25th, 2023 at 7:14pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Saints’ offense will be without wideout Michael Thomas for an extended stretch after he was placed on injured reserve earlier this week. The same is now true of cornerback Marshon Lattimore.

The latter was moved to IR on Saturday, per a team announcement. Like Thomas, Lattimore exited the Saints’ loss to the Vikings and was subsequently deemed to have suffered a “signficant injury.” The ankle ailment kept Lattimore out of practice this week, and New Orleans will elect to shut him down during a pivotal point in the campaign. He will be forced to miss at least four weeks as a result of today’s move.

Lattimore’s absence will be acutely felt given his importance to the Saints’ secondary. That unit has helped New Orleans rank seventh in the league in passing yards allowed per game (199); he has also recorded one of the team’s 12 interceptions, a figure which places the team second in the NFL. The four-time Pro Bowler has had another strong season in 2023 with 48 tackles, eight pass deflections and a 57.4% completion percentage allowed.

Fellow starters Paulson Adebo and Alontae Taylor will be leaned on more heavily at the CB spot moving forward with Lattimore facing a lengthy injury absence for the second consecutive season. A lacerated kidney and broken ribs led to a 10-game stay on the sidelines last year, though Lattimore did not go on IR in that case. With him now guaranteed to be shelved for at least a medium-term stretch, veteran Isaac Yiadom (who has primarily played on special teams) could be in line to take on a starting role.

In more positive injury news, quarterback Derek Carr cleared concussion protocol on Thursday. He is thus in line to suit up tomorrow after exiting the Saints’ Week 12 game. With the team’s bye week having come and gone, Carr’s throwing shoulder – which was banged up earlier in the campaign – should also be healthier, which could lead to improvement in the passing game on offense. That would be a welcomed development for the 5-5 Saints as they look to maintain their lead in the NFC South down the stretch.

In addition to placing Lattimore on IR, the Saints made defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul a gameday elevation. The two-time Super Bowl winner signed last week to New Orleans’ practice squad, and it comes as no surprise that he will quickly be eligible to make his Saints debut. Fullback Adam Prentice was also elevated to the gameday roster for tomorrow’s contest against the Falcons.

Saints Sign DE Jason Pierre-Paul

November 13th, 2023 at 7:20pm CST by Ben Levine

JPP is back in the NFL. Veteran pass rusher Jason Pierre-Paul told Josina Anderson that he plans to sign with the Saints. NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo reported earlier today that Pierre-Paul was working out for New Orleans. It is a practice squad agreement, ESPN.com’s Katherine Terrell notes.

[RELATED: Jason Pierre-Paul Eyeing Free Agent Deal]

“I killed the workout,” the veteran told Anderson. “You can tell I’ve been active and not just sitting around.”

Pierre-Paul was one of many veteran edge rushers who found themselves on the open market for an extended period, and we heard recently that the former Giants star was actively seeking his next opportunity. It had been a quiet offseason and start to the regular season for Pierre-Paul, with his Saints workout marking his first official visit.

The last time we saw JPP, he was getting into 14 games (13 starts) with the Ravens in 2022. While the 34-year-old obviously wasn’t nearly as productive as he was 10 years ago, he still managed to chip in three sacks and three QB hits while getting into about 60 percent of his team’s defensive snaps.

That cameo in Baltimore was preceded by a four-year stint with the Buccaneers, where Pierre-Paul won a Super Bowl ring and compiled 33 sacks. The former first-round pick spent the first eight seasons of his career with the Giants, earning a Pro Bowl nod while also collecting the 10th-most sacks (58.5) in franchise history.

The Saints have needed some pass-rushing help. The team’s 18 sacks is tied for the fifth-fewest in the NFL. Plus, as Matthew Paras of NOLA.com writes, the defensive line has had a tough time containing mobile quarterbacks. Most recently, the Saints allowed QB Joshua Dobbs to run for 44 yards on eight attempts during Sunday’s loss to the Vikings.

Jason Pierre-Paul Eyeing Free Agent Deal

November 9th, 2023 at 12:27pm CST by Adam La Rose

After watching the first half of the season unfold, Jason Pierre-Paul is interested in continuing his career. The veteran edge rusher is seeking a deal, reports Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.

The 34-year-old was one of many experienced options off the edge who found themselves on the open market for an extended period. His free agency has extended into November in 2023, making it longer than last season’s (which ended in late September). To no surprise, Rapoport adds that Pierre-Paul is seeking a deal with a contending team.

A Super Bowl winner with the Giants and Buccaneers, the three-time Pro Bowler could offer a rotational presence to a number of playoff-bound teams in the waning stage of his career. Pierre-Paul joined the Ravens last season, and he logged a healthy 60% snap share. That playing time resulted in three sacks and five tackles for loss in 14 games during the regular season. The former All-Pro could again chip in on the statsheet with a 2023 deal under the right circumstances.

“I been looking at a lot of football lately, and I feel like I can still make a contender shift now,” Pierre-Paul said in a phone interview with Josina Anderson of CBS Sports. “There are plenty of teams that still need a pass rush. So I’m just waiting for that call. If you go back and watch the film with the Ravens, you can see I played very physical… Whatever team I end up on is going to get the best of me. I’ll be all out; I don’t need a whole season. There are teams I want to be on.”

A reunion with the Ravens would come as little surprise, given the team’s injury concerns on the edge. Both Tyus Bowser and David Ojabo face uncertain futures with respect to health, though the team is hopeful at least one will be able to suit up later in the season. If that doesn’t turn out to be the case, though, Baltimore’s defense (which leads the league in sacks despite relatively limited production from the OLB spot in particular) would no doubt be able to find a role for Pierre-Paul.

The Jaguars could also be a team to watch with respect to the former first-rounder. Jacksonville was one of numerous suitors to show interest in Panthers sack artist Brian Burns, and the AFC South leaders also made an effort to acquire Chase Young from the Commanders ahead of the trade deadline. A recent report indicated the Vikings’ Danielle Hunter nearly found himself in Jacksonville this offseason, so it would not come as a surprise if the team made a run at Pierre-Paul. In any case, the latter could soon find himself on an active roster for the stretch run.

Checking In On Edge Rusher Market

May 11th, 2023 at 1:35pm CST by Sam Robinson

The late-spring signing period that transpires every year — due to the compensatory formula deadline passing — has produced a number of deals. Rock Ya-Sin, Foster Moreau, Randall Cobb, Donovan Smith and a few quarterbacks (John Wolford, Trevor Siemian, Brandon Allen) agreed to terms over the past week and change.

This year’s deadline, however, has not led to a thaw in the edge defender market, which is free agency’s deepest at this point. A number of accomplished veterans — some still in or close to their prime — remain unsigned. Teams often use OTAs, minicamp and training camp to determine where roster flaws are, leading to summer veteran additions. As of last week, no such moves affect teams’ 2024 compensatory picks. Some clubs will also pick up some cap space after June 1, when they will see the money saved from previous cut designations emerge.

A few longtime starters figure to receive another chance before teams configure their final depth charts. Ahead of OTAs, here are the top options available:

Frank Clark. Age in Week 1: 30

The Chiefs cut Clark in March, separating from their most prominent edge player of the Patrick Mahomes era. While Clark did not live up to the five-year, $104MM pact he signed upon being acquired from the Seahawks in 2019 and ultimately took a pay cut to return in 2022, he did continue producing in the playoffs. Clark’s 2.5 sacks during this past postseason give him 13.5 for his career. In the official sack era (1982-present), that total ranks third. Of course, the ex-Seattle second-rounder was arrested twice in 2021 and never eclipsed eight sacks during a Chiefs regular season. He remains a starter-caliber player.

Jadeveon Clowney. Age in Week 1: 30

Perennially unable to secure a long-term deal, the former No. 1 overall pick will likely end his NFL career without landing one. Injury trouble has plagued Clowney, who missed eight games during his two-year Browns tenure. Since the Texans traded Clowney to the Seahawks in August 2019, he has taken his time before reaching a free agency accord. Clowney signed with the Titans in September 2020, inked his first Browns deal in April 2021 and re-signed in May of last year. Clashes with Cleveland’s coaching staff will lead him elsewhere. Clowney only totaled two sacks and 12 QB pressures last season, though he collected nine sacks opposite Myles Garrett in 2021.

Leonard Floyd. Age in Week 1: 31

With the Rams moving on from their four-year, $64MM agreement in March, two teams have now cut Floyd in his career. The Bears picked up his fifth-year option but, back when teams were allowed to do this, ditched it free of charge a year later back in 2020. Floyd has both displayed durability and production since that Chicago separation, showing a new gear in Los Angeles. Teaming with Aaron Donald and Von Miller certainly boosted Floyd’s chances of drawing a favorable matchup, but he kept going after Donald’s shutdown last season. Four of Floyd’s 9.5 sacks came during the six games Donald missed. Floyd’s 31 QB pressures ranked 17th last season.

Markus Golden. Age in Week 1: 32

Coming off the worst season in this contingent, Golden is two years removed from an 11-sack campaign. The former second-round pick agreed to a one-year extension that covered the 2023 season, but the Cardinals’ new regime ditched that contract in March. Golden has three double-digit sack seasons on his resume, though they have come in nonconsecutive years. An early-career ACL tear threw the Mizzou alum off track, but Golden has missed just one game over the past four seasons.

Yannick Ngakoue. Age in Week 1: 28

The second-ranked edge defender in PFR’s free agent rankings back in March (behind only Marcus Davenport), Ngakoue has consistently produced sack numbers while generating a reputation as a hired gun and run-game liability. He did not come close to reaching the May compensatory deadline in the past, however, being franchise-tagged in 2020 and signed to a two-year, $26MM Raiders deal in March 2021. The Colts took on that contract last year, via a straight-up trade for Ya-Sin, and Ngakoue reeled off a 9.5-sack season. The former Jaguars third-round pick is the only player to post at least eight sacks in each of the past seven seasons.

Dawuane Smoot. Age in Week 1: 28

One of the bright spots of the Jaguars’ Urban Meyer year, Smoot finished the 2021 season with 30 pressures. The former third-round pick accumulated 22.5 sacks from 2019-22, finishing that stretch on a two-year deal worth $10MM. He likely would have a third contract in place — either from the Jaguars or another team earlier in free agency — had a December ACL tear not occurred. The Jags did not re-sign Arden Key or use a first- or second-day pick on an edge rusher. While that potentially keeps the door open to Smoot returning when cleared (or on the homestretch toward clearance), he remains an intriguing complementary option for teams.

Kyle Van Noy. Age in Week 1: 32

Although Van Noy has operated as a hybrid of sorts, his sack consistency qualifies him for such a list. Van Noy’s one-year Chargers deal ended up requiring considerable edge work, with Joey Bosa lost for much of the season. As he had done for years in New England, Van Noy made an impact in a pass-rushing capacity. He finished with five sacks, marking the fifth time in the past six seasons he has reached that number. Van Noy’s age and versatility make him one of the better options left. After signing with the Chargers in May of last year, Van Noy expressed interest in staying on another accord.

Mid-30s wing

Carlos Dunlap. Age in Week 1: 34

The Chiefs waited until July to add Dunlap last year, bringing in the longtime Bengals sack artist — on a one-year, $3MM pact — to replace Melvin Ingram as a Clark complement. Kansas City has since added younger UFA Charles Omenihu and used first-round picks on edges (George Karlaftis, Felix Anudike-Uzomah) in each of the past two years. The Bengals’ all-time sack leader, Dunlap finished with four last season after amassing 8.5 with the Seahawks in 2021. The Chiefs used the 13-year veteran on 39 defensive plays in Super Bowl LVII.

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Edge Notes: Ravens, Lions, Browning, Hawks

October 6th, 2022 at 4:51pm CST by Sam Robinson

After letting both Matt Judon and Yannick Ngakoue walk during the 2021 free agency period, the Ravens acquired a first-round pick in the Orlando Brown Jr. trade. The team entered the draft determined to use one of its two first-round choices on an edge defender, but strategy played a role in the team ending up with Odafe Oweh. The Ravens would have been happy with either Oweh or Greg Rousseau, Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic notes, but also wanted to leave last year’s first round with a wide receiver.

We heard previously the Ravens expected the Packers to select Bateman, whom several execs viewed as the team most likely to draft the Big Ten prospect. That played into Baltimore’s edge defender blueprint as well. The team had Oweh and Rousseau ranked similarly on its 2021 draft board, Zrebiec adds, leading to Bateman being prioritized with the No. 27 pick. Waiting for No. 31 to make its edge rusher selection paid off, as Oweh remained on the board. The Bills took Rousseau at 30. (The Packers took cornerback Eric Stokes at 29.) Through 1 1/4 seasons, Oweh has six sacks, four forced fumbles and 17 quarterback hits. Rousseau checks in with similar production, having tallied eight sacks — four already this season — along with one strip and 16 QB hits.

Here is the latest from the NFL’s edge defender landscape:

  • The Ravens used Jason Pierre-Paul extensively alongside Oweh in Week 4, playing the recently signed veteran on 55 defensive snaps. Their one-year Pierre-Paul deal is worth $1.35MM, according to OverTheCap. The contract includes a $150K signing bonus and playing time- and sack-based incentives that could take the price north of $5MM, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com tweets. This is a lower-priced deal than JPP is accustomed to signing, but he has a chance to be the rare free agent to sign in-season and earn potentially far more than the veteran minimum.
  • The Lions will be waiting a bit longer to deploy their two-Okwara edge-rushing attack. Eligible to return from the Lions’ PUP list this week, Romeo Okwara will likely need more time to recover from his 2021 injury, Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press notes. Okwara, who suffered an Achilles tear just more than a year ago, did not return to practice this week when first eligible.
  • Detroit’s pass rush, when at full strength, is set to include Romeo and Julian Okwara, Charles Harris and first- and second-round picks Aidan Hutchinson and Josh Paschal. That said, the Lions are adding another edge rusher to the equation. Rookie UDFA Demetrius Taylor is going to play defensive end in his debut this week, Birkett notes. Signed as a UDFA defensive tackle, Taylor will shift to a big D-end role as the Lions attempt to pick up the pieces on defense. This will likely lead to Hutchinson, who had previously played the team’s “big end” spot, rushing from around the formation, per Birkett. Taylor saw some time at D-end at Appalachian State.
  • It will not be second-round pick Nik Bonitto getting the call to replace Randy Gregory; Baron Browning will play that role for the Broncos beginning Thursday night, Troy Renck of Denver7 tweets. This will be an interesting stretch for Browning, whom the Broncos used as an inside linebacker during his 2021 rookie season. The third-round pick moved to the outside this offseason, helping lead to the late-August Malik Reed trade, and has impressed the coaching staff. Bonitto, who began the season as a healthy scratch despite being Denver’s top 2022 draftee, will see more time as a rotational cog behind Browning and Bradley Chubb.
  • The Seahawks will give second-rounder Boye Mafe more playing time, Pete Carroll said this week. This will be interesting considering the rookie logged a season-high 32 defensive snaps against the Lions. Mafe, who has one sack thus far this season, registered 10 in his final college campaign.

Pass Rusher Jason Pierre-Paul To Make Ravens Debut

September 30th, 2022 at 7:29pm CST by Ely Allen

Jason Pierre-Paul is “definitely” ready to debut for the third NFL team of his career, according to Jamison Hensley of ESPN. Pierre-Paul signed with the Ravens a little over a week ago after his second visit with the team this year. His presence has become a necessity as Baltimore, once again, finds itself getting bitten hard by the injury bug. 

Pierre-Paul surely saw his best years come with the Giants, during the first eight seasons of his career, when he tallied 58.5 sacks and 87.0 tackles for loss in New York. Not only could he wreak havoc in the backfield, but Pierre-Paul had a nose for the football, as well, forcing seven fumbles and returning both his interceptions in a Giants uniform for touchdowns.

As an esteemed veteran, he signed with the Buccaneers at 29-years-old. He became an immediate contributor and, in his first three seasons in Tampa Bay, recorded 30.5 sacks and 32.0 tackles for loss. Pierre-Paul even earned a Pro Bowl bid in his third season with the team.

Last year, though, Pierre-Paul saw his production plummet. He finished 2021 with the second-fewest sacks of his career (2.5) and the fewest tackles for loss of his career (5.0). Pierre-Paul attributes the downturn in production to injuries to his shoulder. He reportedly tore his rotator cuff, biceps, and “a small muscle in his upper back” last year, limiting him for all but the first three weeks of the season.

“I basically got a whole new shoulder. I feel way totally better,” Pierre-Paul explained. “I did what I could do for the team, but not having two shoulders is a big thing. Can’t push, can’t grab, can’t snatch. But I can do all of that now.”

The Ravens are counting on it. Three Ravens outside linebackers already sit on injured reserve and second-round rookie pass rusher David Ojabo remains on the reserve/non-football injury list. With Justin Houston listed as doubtful going into the Bills game, according to Hensley, after suffering a groin injury in last weekend’s win over the Patriots, Baltimore was left with only second-year pass rusher Odafe Oweh to rush the quarterback. Enter Pierre-Paul, who will join Oweh as the only healthy outside linebackers on the roster.

The Ravens have plenty of experience finding pressure from other positions, as they blitz more than any other team in the NFL, but if Pierre-Paul can return to anywhere near his normal form at 33-years-old, the Ravens should have a formidable pass-rushing duo to corral Bills quarterback Josh Allen this Sunday at noon.

Latest On Ravens’ Pass Rushing Situation

September 25th, 2022 at 10:26am CST by Rory Parks

The Ravens signed veteran edge defender Jason Pierre-Paul earlier this week, and that transaction was consummated in order to offer an immediate boost to the team’s pass rushing contingent. It does not necessarily mean that anything has changed with respect to the prognoses of Tyus Bowser and David Ojabo.

Per Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic, Baltimore is hopeful that Bowser will be on the field shortly after he is eligible to return from the PUP list (Twitter link). Bowser, who signed a four-year, $22MM contract in March 2021, rewarded the Ravens’ faith in him with a season in which he started all 17 games and registered career-highs in total tackles (59), sacks (seven), tackles for loss (eight), quarterback hits (15), and forced fumbles (two). Unfortunately, he suffered an Achilles tear in the 2021 finale and was placed on the reserve/PUP list in August, thereby guaranteeing that he would miss at least the first four games of the 2022 season.

Bowser does not necessarily excel in any one area, but he is useful against the run, in coverage, and as a pass rusher. His absence became even more significant when the Ravens lost Steven Means to an Achilles tear of his own last week, and Zrebiec’s report suggests that Bowser’s recovery is progressing more or less as expected.

Ojabo, meanwhile, was a first-round talent who fell to the second round of the 2022 draft due to (what else?) an Achilles tear during his Pro Day. GM Eric DeCosta chose to play the long game when he selected Ojabo, who was always expected to miss most, if not all, of his first season in the NFL. Per Zrebiec, the Ravens remain optimistic that the Michigan product can return in the second half of the season.

The Bowser injury and the dearth of proven pass rush talent on the roster meant that many free agent and collegiate edge defenders were connected to the Ravens this offseason (including Pierre-Paul, who first visited the team back in June). However, aside from the Ojabo selection and signing players like Means and Vince Biegel — who, almost predictably, tore his Achilles this summer — Baltimore did very little of note to address its needs in that regard.

The club did bring back Justin Houston, and it should be noted that the tragic death of Jaylon Ferguson also played a role in the team’s current lack of edge depth. The hope is that 2021 first-rounder Odafe Oweh, Houston, and Pierre-Paul can hold down the fort until Bowser and Ojabo are ready to return, though Oweh has been mostly invisible during the first two games of the season. There is plenty of time for him to get on track, but Baltimore was clearly relying on a second-year breakout from him, and he has yet to show signs of such an emergence.

Luckily, Pierre-Paul will not need much of a ramp-up period, as Zrebeic tweets. JPP will not be on the field for Sunday’s matchup with the Patriots, but he is in line to make his Baltimore debut during the club’s Week 4 contest against the Bills.

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