[Baltimore Sun] The Ravens need defensive help. Here’s why they should trade for Jadeveon Clowney. | ANALYSIS

Even before the Browns’ Jameis Winston unaffectedly lofted a game-winning 38-yard touchdown pass to a wide-open Cedric Tillman with 59 seconds remaining Sunday in Cleveland, the Ravens, in the words of ESPN analyst and former NFL quarterback Dan Orlovsky a day later, had become “predictable.”

The third time wasn’t the charm and neither was attempt No. 6. That’s how many consecutive plays Baltimore cover-zero blitzed Cleveland leading into and including on the one that led to Winston’s heroics to no avail.

The Ravens came into that game with the league’s worst pass defense by any number of metrics. Down two starting cornerbacks (Marlon Humphrey and Nate Wiggins) and one benched starting safety (Marcus Williams), repeatedly leaving the secondary on an island in man coverage was perhaps a dubious decision on its own. But first-year coordinator Zach Orr’s decision also exposed Baltimore in another, even more significant way.

One season after boasting one of the league’s top pass rushes, the Ravens have been one of the worst when it comes to getting to the quarterback, and it’s having a trickle-down effect.

Last year, the Ravens ranked ninth in the NFL in pressure rate. Through the first eight weeks of this season, they are 25th. Against the Browns, they had a pressure rate of just 18.6%, which was again among the lowest marks in the league. Consequently, Winston, making his first start since 2022, was kept clean on 76.7% of his snaps and completed 24 of 33 passes for 312 yards and three scores.

Baltimore’s pass rush win rate is identical to what it was last season — 41%, per Next Gen Stats — and its 24 sacks are tied for fourth-most in the league, but that shades the truth.

Kyle Van Noy has seven sacks and Odafe Oweh 4 1/2, while others have been far less effective. Defensive tackle Justin Madubuike, who had a career-high 13 sacks last season to land a four-year $98 million extension, has just two sacks. Outside linebacker David Ojabo, who was a healthy scratch in Cleveland, has just one across five games. Edge rusher Yannick Ngakoue has been only a minimal rotational contributor. The list goes on and so does the explanation.

“A lot of the times if you look at the stats and all that … it’s not as consistently there as you’re going to want it to be,” coach John Harbaugh said Monday. “Some of that is the fact that we’ve played some really mobile quarterbacks who we’ve had to kind of cage rush a little bit. … But there’s also times on play action, especially on first down, where [Winston] held it, and that’s because you’re stopping the run first, and we weren’t stopping the run as well as we have. We’re playing run defense, and then you have to transition, and you have the bigger guys on the field. That’s when the time really kind of stacked up in terms of him being able to throw the ball in some of those deep windows – some of those chunk throws.

“Maybe that’s somewhere where we have to do more blitzing – on first and second down.”

And maybe that’s why general manager Eric DeCosta should perhaps get on the phone with Carolina Panthers general manager Dan Morgan again before the Nov. 5 trade deadline.

On Tuesday, the Ravens traded for Panthers wide receiver Diontae Johnson in a move that will bolster their already NFL-best offense. All it cost Baltimore was a draft-pick swap. Calling Morgan back to inquire about Panthers outside linebacker Jadeveon Clowney feels like even more of a no-brainer.

Of course, several contenders need a pass rusher, so pulling off the right deal for the 31-year-old veteran might be easier said than done. Plus, a shoulder injury kept him out of two games before he returned last week in Denver against the Broncos, who also are coincidentally the Ravens’ opponent this week.

But reuniting a healthy Clowney with Baltimore makes too much sense.

Last season for the Ravens, he matched his career high with 9 1/2 sacks and added 43 tackles, 23 pressures, nine tackles for loss, a career-best five passes defensed, two forced fumbles and one fumble recovery. He also set career highs in pass-rush win rate (16.8%) and pressure rate (15.4%), per PFF.

Clowney is terrific against the run, having finished ninth among all edge players in run-stop rate (9.6%) last season, and he knows the scheme.

He’s also affordable. After a big year in Baltimore last season, he signed a two-year, $20 million deal with Carolina. But with the Panthers having already paid the majority of his salary this year and only $2 million guaranteed next year, the Ravens could easily fit him under their tight salary cap with room to spare and only a minimal hit for cutting him next year.

And, perhaps most importantly, a return to the Charm City could rejuvenate the former No. 1 overall pick, who has never reached a Super Bowl but helped the Ravens get to the cusp while also being a dependable contributor and affable locker room presence last season.

“I hadn’t been here for 48 hours and thought I could fit,” Clowney told The Sun late last season. “Harbaugh is also a guy I’ve been a fan of my whole career.”

Whether Harbaugh gets the chance to coach him again isn’t certain, but it’s likely DeCosta isn’t done maneuvering, either.

In addition to an edge rusher, there are needs along a suddenly banged up and thin interior defensive line and at safety after Williams was benched and Eddie Jackson and Ar’Darius Washington struggled in his place.

“I love our guys. I love our roster,” Harbaugh said this week. “I feel like our roster is really good, and I think every one of our guys is going to play really well down the stretch to the best of their ability.”

What that roster looks like a week from now remains to be seen, but if the Ravens hope to get to where they want more changes could be coming.

Have a news tip? Contact Brian Wacker at bwacker@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/brianwacker1.

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