The Baltimore Ravens could be hiring one of their former All-Pro linebackers in a new role after shaking up their defensive coaching staff since the end of the 2021 regular season.
Zachary Orr, who appeared in 46 games for the Ravens from 2014-2016, is “expected to interview” for one of Baltimore’s open coaching positions under new defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald on February 7, per Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic.
Macdonald was hired on January 27 to replace outgoing defensive coordinator Don “Wink” Martindale, who parted ways with the Ravens on January 21 after the worst defensive season of his tenure in Baltimore, though that can partly be ascribed to major injuries to several starters, including All-Pro cornerbacks Marlon Humphrey and Marcus Peters.
Orr was the outside linebackers coach for the Jacksonville Jaguars under Urban Meyer during the 2021 season, but he is no longer listed on the team’s website after the hiring of ex-Philadelphia Eagles Super Bowl-winning coach Doug Pederson.
But after previously working under Ravens head coach John Harbaugh as a defensive analyst from 2017-2020, Orr could be poised to return to Baltimore to coach inside or outside linebackers with both positions vacant following the departures of Rob Ryan and Drew Wilkins.
The Ravens moved on from Ryan after just one season as the team’s inside linebackers coach on February 3, according to Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports.
Wilkins was let out of his contract on February 4 to “pursue opportunities” with Martindale, per ESPN’s Jamison Hensley, after spending the last 12 years in Baltimore, including the last two as outside linebackers coach.
The Ravens have also seen two of their coaches take jobs with prominent college programs in recent weeks, with tight ends coach Bobby Engram becoming the offensive coordinator for the Wisconsin Badgers and Super Bowl XXXV champion Brian Billick joining the Arizona State Sun Devils as an offensive analyst.
Orr’s History in Baltimore
Orr was signed by the Ravens as an undrafted free agent out of the University of North Texas in 2014, making the 53-man roster as a key special teams player. He played more than 80% of the Ravens’ special teams snaps in both 2014 and 2015 before earning a starting job in 2016.
He started 15 games at inside linebacker for the Ravens in 2016, racking up a team-best 133 tackles and earning a second-team All-Pro selection from the Associated Press at just 24 years old. But Orr was forced to retire in January 2017 due to a congenital neck/spine condition, per Hensley, though he remained in Baltimore as a defensive analyst on John Harbaugh’s coaching staff.
He was then hired by the Jaguars in January 2021 before Urban Meyer’s disastrous tenure in Jacksonville forced the franchise to overhaul its coaching staff after the season ended.
Though he coached outside linebackers in Jacksonville, Orr’s experience at inside linebacker makes him a candidate to coach either position under Macdonald, who was an intern and defensive assistant while Orr was a Raven.
Report: Ravens Hire Michigan Analyst
The Ravens are also expected to hire Wolverines analyst Ryan Osborn to their defensive staff, per Matt Zenitz of On3.com. He worked with Macdonald under Jim Harbaugh at Michigan during the 2021 season, working primarily with the defensive line.
Though he was not an on-field coach with the Wolverines, he did work closely with Michigan’s edge defenders, per Rainer Sabin of the Detroit Free Press. He could take Wilkins’ former position as outside linebackers coach with Orr coming in to replace Ryan with the inside linebackers.
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Ex-Ravens All-Pro LB Could Return as Defensive Coach in Staff Shake-Up