Another edge-rusher bolted from the Baltimore Ravens during 2026 NFL free agency, this one a former top-50 draft pick who landed with a rival in the AFC.
He couldn’t stay healthy or get on the field often enough for the Ravens, but David Ojabo is getting another chance to finally live up his draft billing. Ojabo joined the Miami Dolphins on Friday, March 13, a deal confirmed by ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler.
A fresh start is welcome for the 45th-overall pick in the 2022 NFL draft, and that’s just what Ojabo is going to get under new Dolphins head coach Jeff Hafley. Things are also freshening up for the Ravens at their edges of their own front seven, after Ojabo became the second edge-rusher to leave town, following Dre’Mont Jones signing with Miami’s AFC East rivals the New England Patriots.
Both moves leave rookie Ravens head coach Jesse Minter and his defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver still looking for pass-rush help. Even after pivoting to four-time Pro Bowl edge Trey Hendrickson following the aborted trade for All-Pro defensive end Maxx Crosby.
David Ojabo a Notable Draft Miss
It’s hardly surprising the Ravens let Ojabo test this veteran market long enough to find a new home. He was fighting draft bust status pretty much from the moment he tore his Achilles at Michigan’s pro day four years ago.
Further serious injuries followed after he’d entered the pros, but Ojabo barely made a dent on the rare occasions he was healthy. Eventually, Ojabo became somebody the Ravens were happy to leave out of game-day lineups.
All of these factors contributed to Ojabo being a notable miss by general manager Eric DeCosta. He chose Ojabo to be an impact disruptor and a youthful, dynamic successor to veteran edge defenders like Kyle Van Noy and Jadeveon Clowney.
That was the plan, but flash forward almost half a decade, and the Ravens still find themselves looking for ways to put more heat on quarterbacks. Those ways might include another prominent draft pick expected to fare better than Ojabo.
Ravens Must Accelerate Search for Pass-Rush Help
When Ojabo didn’t work out, it made sense for the Ravens to use another second-round pick on another edge-rusher. DeCosta chose Mike Green, college football’s leader in sacks in 2024.
Green couldn’t translate his prolific track record at Marshall to the pros as a rookie, but he’s still touted for breakout potential. That upside perhaps explains why the Ravens have so far not engaged in any trade scenarios involving Green, but it doesn’t mean the search for pass-rushers is slowing down.
If anything, DeCosta, Minter and Weaver need to speed up the process. Particularly when some prominent proven commodities are still available in free agency.
Those names include Joey Bosa, Haason Reddick and Von Miller. Any member of this trio would allow DeCosta to fulfil the plan he apparently originally had for both Hendrickson and Crosby.
Pairing Hendrickson with another established pressure specialist would also take any sting out of the Ravens seeing the light finally go on for Ojabo with the Dolphins.
Ravens Top-50 Edge-Rusher Signs With AFC Rival in Free Agency