If the Ravens are going to get back into the playoff conversation in 2026, the headline names won’t be enough. Baltimore added help this offseason, but the difference could come from the quieter pieces on defense - the players who don’t arrive with much buzz and still end up mattering.
That’s especially true after last season’s defense repeatedly put the team in bad spots. The Ravens need more from that side of the ball, and they may find it in three under-the-radar defenders who could turn into real factors next year.
Chandler Rivers is the kind of rookie who can sneak into the picture faster than people expect. A fifth-round pick, Rivers was viewed by many as a steal, with some draft experts grading him as a Day 2 talent. That kind of profile gives him a real shot to push for a spot in the cornerback rotation.
Baltimore’s cornerback group is solid, but the depth behind the top names leans more on upside than proven production. Rivers could climb quickly and become the top slot option behind Marlon Humphrey.
Even if he doesn’t lock down a regular defensive role right away, special teams should give him a path onto the field. At 5-foot-10 and 185 pounds, and with the kind of tenacity and passion he brings, he looks built for that job.
Keondre Jackson may be the most obvious special teams candidate of the bunch. He spent 2025 on the practice squad before being added to the active roster before Week 10, and once he got there, he was a force on special teams. That role should only grow, and there’s even a chance he develops into the kind of special teams mainstay Baltimore can count on for years.
There’s also a possibility Jackson earns more than just specialist work. He stood out in the offseason program and flashed as a playmaker on defense. That doesn’t mean he’s headed for a major role on Jesse Minter’s unit, but if he starts building trust on that side of the ball, it could give him another way to make his presence felt.
Aeneas Peebles might be the truest secret weapon of the group, though that comes with a big asterisk. He has the traits to be a disruptive presence on the interior defensive line, but the question is whether Minter can unlock that talent or whether Peebles will struggle to adjust to the NFL.
Used as a pass-rush specialist, Peebles could be a real problem in the right situations. He’s 6-foot, 289 pounds, but his quick first step, speed, bend, and motor make him dangerous from snap to snap. The obstacle is clear: he was already near the bottom of the depth chart inside, and the additions of Calais Campbell and Rayshaun Benny make the climb even steeper.
Still, Baltimore’s defense has a way of bringing out more from its players, and Peebles could be one of those names that pops up at just the right time. Don’t be shocked if it’s third-and-long and he’s on the field making a play.
In Other News...
Ravens Just Got A Fresh Warning About Trey Hendrickson
Baltimore went into the offseason looking for a proven edge presence, and Trey Hendrickson fit the bill as a four-time Pro Bowler with a track record that includes a 17.5-sack season. The Ravens paid accordingly, giving him a four-year, $112 million deal to bolster a defensive front that wanted more disruption and more finishing power off the edge.
Still, not everyone is treating the move like an automatic win. Bleacher Reports Moe Moton re-graded the signing as a B- rather than a clear upgrade, pointing to the size of the contract and the questions that come with bringing in a player coming off an injury-shortened campaign. Baltimore clearly believes Hendrickson can change games, but the early skepticism is centered on whether the price tag matches the risk. [Read more 🡒]
Ravens May Have One Last Answer To Their WR Problem
Baltimores wide receiver room still looks like a work in progress beyond Zay Flowers, and that has kept the possibility of a veteran addition alive as training camp approaches. The Ravens drafted two receivers in 2026, but the depth chart still has the feel of a group that needs one more proven piece if the team wants more certainty behind its top option.
Former Raven Femi Ayanbadejo floated Deebo Samuel as the kind of versatile weapon who could make sense in Baltimore, especially for a team that likes to create matchup problems in different ways. The catch is obvious: the Ravens already have a strong starting trio and a return man in place, so even if the fit is intriguing, finding an actual roster spot would be the part that gets complicated. [Read more 🡒]
Ed Reed Is Now The Blueprint For A Future NBA Star
A young guard learning the pro game can usually use a little help on the defensive end, and in this case the lesson plan reaches back to one of the NFLs best safeties. The Utah Jazz have been steering a promising rookie toward Baltimore legend Ed Reed as a model for how to see the floor, jump passing lanes and turn defense into something that creates offense.
The comparison makes sense because the player in question built his college reputation on off-ball disruption and the kind of ball-hawking instincts that change possessions without always showing up in a box score. For a shooting guard trying to become a true two-way threat, Reed is more than a name from another sport. He is the standard for the mentality and anticipation that can separate a solid defender from someone who tilts games. [Read more 🡒]