The Ravens got one key defender back on Saturday and lost a veteran tackle at the same time.
Baltimore activated linebacker Teddye Buchanan from the physically unable to perform list, bringing him back exactly eight months after the torn ACL that wiped out his 2025 season. Buchanan, 23, was hurt in Week 15 of the 2025 regular season and had been in the middle of a breakout rookie year before the injury cut it short.
The fourth-round pick had quickly become Roquan Smith’s running mate in the center of the Ravens’ defense by Week 2. By the time he went down, Buchanan had piled up 93 tackles, which ranked second on the team at that point. He finished the year with a place on the PFWA All-Rookie team, joining Browns linebacker and Defensive Rookie of the Year Carson Schwesinger.
With Buchanan sidelined, 2023 third-round pick Trenton Simpson stepped into the No. 2 inside linebacker role and held it through spring work and into training camp. Buchanan’s return now opens the door for a real competition, though Baltimore is clearly planning to take its time. General manager Eric DeCosta called the rehab process “top 1% of rehab” that he has seen in Baltimore.
Buchanan opened camp on the PUP list, but he had been spotted doing conditioning work on a side field during several practices. Now that he’s been activated, the Ravens have a month to get him ready for their regular-season opener against the Colts. A Week 1 debut is possible if everything stays on track, but the team is expected to be careful with his ramp-up.
Baltimore also made a move on the offensive line, placing Kendall Lamm on the reserve/retired list and ending his 11-year career less than two weeks after he signed with the Ravens. It’s the second time this year a veteran tackle has come in and then retired quickly; Hakeem Adeniji signed at the end of July and stepped away after only one week of training camp.
That leaves Baltimore with more questions at tackle depth, especially on the right side. Carson Vinson, a 2025 fifth-round pick, is backing up Ronnie Stanley on the left, but the reserve picture behind starting right tackle Roger Rosengarten is still unsettled.
Emery Jones, a 2024 third-round pick who started at right tackle for three years at LSU, has mostly worked at guard since arriving in Baltimore. A minor injury to left guard John Simpson is likely to keep Jones on the interior for the preseason, though offensive line coach Dwayne Ledford had previously said Jones could also handle the right tackle spot.
The other in-house options are 2025 UDFA Gerad Lichtenhan and undrafted rookie Diego Pounds, and neither has stood out in camp so far. If Baltimore wants more experience, the free-agent market includes Cam Robinson, Jonah Williams, and Jack Conklin, among others.
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