This offseason, Jadeveon Clowney signed a free agent contract with the Panthers, leaving the Ravens without their top edge rusher. The organization chose to rely on recent draft capital to make up for the production lost with Clowney’s departure, even though it tried to keep other elite sack-getters like Justin Madubuike and Kyle Van Noy. As reported by Jamison Hensley of EPSN, head coach John Harbaugh stated that outside linebacker David Ojabo was not cleared to play in last night’s preseason game, meaning that one of those recent draft picks is still recovering from injury.
After sustaining a torn Achilles during his Michigan pro day, Baltimore anticipated that Ojabo, a second-round pick in 2022, would need some time to play. Ojabo didn’t play in the NFL until Week 15, having spent the first part of his rookie season on injured reserve. His lone other appearance came in the season finale, when he was credited with his first NFL sack. He only played five snaps.
Ojabo was sack in the first game of the 2023 season and got his first start in Week 3. Regretfully, Ojabo’s sophomore career ended after just three games due to a season-ending knee/ankle injury sustained during that first start. It’s difficult to determine if Baltimore has control over Ojabo’s situation. Last season, they expressed hope that he would return, and when he didn’t, they voiced hope that he would be cleared in time for training camp. Neither of these things occurred, thus the Ravens are left to wait for a healthy Ojabo going forward.
To make up for Ojabo’s missed snaps, the Ravens will turn to two Penn State products in the meantime. Although Odafe Oweh, a former first-round choice, hasn’t seen his season-sack total surpass five in a season, his ability to consistently apply pressure has raised expectations for a breakthrough campaign. Adisa Isaac, a rookie third-round pick, intends to emulate his fellow Nittany Lion. Isaac was activated in time for the team’s opening preseason game, having missed a significant portion of training camp due to a hamstring injury.
AFC injury updates from throughout the league are as follows:
According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, first-round rookie lineman Troy Fautanu sprained his MCL in yesterday night’s preseason opener, which was a minor setback for the Steelers’ preseason plans. Although Fautanu and Dan Moore are vying for the team’s starting right tackle position, Pittsburgh does not view the injury as significant. Nevertheless, any lost time will be critical for the rookie throughout the preseason. Moore has a ton of experience—he has started the last three seasons at left tackle—but any preseason time lost would be damaging to Fautanu’s desire to start his rookie season.
According to Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2, the Titans were informed this week that linebacker Garret Wallow will miss the 2024 NFL season due to a damaged pectoral muscle. Wallow, a former fifth-round selection of the Texans, spent his first two seasons in Houston starting five games before being signed off the practice squad to play in Tennessee.
During yesterday night’s preseason games, Dolphins backup offensive tackle Kion Smith regrettably suffered another season-ending injury—a ruptured ACL. Smith, a 2021 undrafted free agency out of Fayetteville State, played in nine Miami games in the previous season. This means he will have to miss the 2024 election.
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