Ravens’ Promising 2nd-Year DE Placed on the Injured Reserve

minh | Baltimore Ravens
July 31, 2024

John Harbaugh and Eric DeCosta

GettyRavens coach John Harbaugh and general manager Eric DeCosta watch practice.

The Baltimore Ravens and their fans got some unfortunate news on Tuesday, July 30 regarding one of their young players. 2023 undrafted free agent Malik Hamm will miss his second season in a row, this time with a knee injury.

The Ravens posted from their X account, “We have placed DE Malik Hamm (knee) on Injured Reserve.”

Hamm’s IR designation will end his sophomore season before it even starts, a punch to an already depleted pass-rush on the Ravens’ defense.

It is a blow to the Ravens pass-rush unit as well as the young up-and-comer as there were hopes that Hamm would take a big step in his growth on this defense. Hamm had a chance to make a name for himself on a unit that has many questions and few certainties.

Hamm made the team in 2023 as an undrafted free agent after having a successful training camp with the team. The Lafayette product was able to make the initial 53-man roster before suffering an ankle injury that kept him out for his entire rookie season.

Fans will need to wait another season to see Hamm perform on the field during regular season games. He electrified coaches and fans during the preseason in 2023 but will now have to go through a second rehab to get back for 2025.

DE Malik Hamm Had Chance to Make Big Impact on Defense

A season ago the Ravens pass-rush was one of the most dangerous in the NFL but heading into 2024 there are questions for rookie defensive coordinator Zach Orr. With the departure of key players like Jadeveon Clowney and Patrick Queen, there was a hole waiting to be filled.

Glenn Erby, of USA Today’s “The Ravens Wire,” covered the news of Hamm being placed on the IR and wrote, “Hamm was competing for a role in the outside linebacker rotation.”

Hamm was competing with David Ojabo and Odafe Oweh for the spot. Oweh has the most experience and the inside track to secure the starting job, but there was likely to be a strong competition for rotational snaps.

Clowney, who left for the Carolina Panthers this offseason, leaves a major hole in the position as he chipped in 9.5 sacks on the defensive unit.

Erby described Hamm as a, ” Under-the-radar candidate to lead the Ravens’ pass rush unit.” The sample size that coaches have been able to see from Hamm is small, but it has had them excited for his potential.

“Hamm spent his entire rookie season on injured reserve (ankle) but made his presence felt as a pass rusher this spring during OTAs and minicamps,” Erby wrote.

Ravens Act Quick on New Signing After Move

The Ravens made a corresponding move with the placement of the second-year player on the injured reserve. The team posted on X, “We have signed LB Quincy Roche.”

Roche is a fourth-year LB with some game experience in the NFL, which may be beneficial to the Ravens inexperienced unit. Roche was drafted in the sixth-round of the 2021 draft by the division rivals Pittsburgh Steelers.

The LB did not break camp with the Steelers though and was instead picked up by the New York Giants where he floated between the active squad and practice squad. In two seasons with the Giants, Roche played 17 games, had 40 combined tackles and 2.5 sacks (most of the production coming in the first season).

Roche did not play during the 2023 season but spent time between the Steelers and Minnesota Vikings practice squads.

General manager Eric DeCosta may need to repeat his performance last season where he brought in veterans Clowney and Kyle Van Noy, who provided key production.

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