The NFL has hammered home its new rules against hip drop tackles to its players in the most direct way possible — taking money out of their wallets.
Baltimore Ravens edge rusher David Ojabo was one of the latest to feel that pinch following a hefty fine of $13,980 for his hip drop tackle on a kickoff in a win over the Week 15 win over the Cincinnati Bengals.
“Ravens OLB David Ojabo has been fined $13,980 for unnecessary roughness for this hip-drop tackle vs. Cincinnati,” The Baltimore Banner’s Jonas Shaffer wrote on X.
Ojabo, a 2022 second round pick, has mostly been an afterthought for the Ravens on defense this season with just 0.5 sacks through 11 games this season with no starts.
Ojabo’s Trade Value Likely Vanished This Season
The Ravens probably had a good chance to trade Ojabo, 6-foot-4 and 252 pounds, before this season. That ship probably has sailed after he fell flat in 2025 despite the Ravens desperate from any production, from anyone, during a miserable 1-5 start to the regular season.
Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox picked Ojabo as the team’s most likely trade candidate in the preseason.
“David Ojabo hasn’t become a key contributor yet,” Knox wrote on August 7. “He missed most of his 2022 rookie season while recovering from a torn Achilles, and he suffered a partially torn ACL in 2023. He appeared in 13 games last season and recorded two sacks, but he also played a mere 13 percent of the defensive snaps … Baltimore should see whether Ojabo’s draft pedigree and unrealized potential as a pass-rusher are enough to draw interest on the trade market.”
Ojabo Suffered Serious Injury Before NFL Draft
Ojabo only played 2 seasons at Michigan before he entered the NFL draft and the Ravens drafted him in the second round despite knowing he tore his Achilles tendon at Michigan’s Pro Day.
The Ravens took Ojabo in large part because of how impressive he was at the NFL scouting combine before his injury, where he clocked in at 6-foot-4 and 250 pounds, ran the 40 yard dash in 4.55 seconds to go with a 35-inch vertical.
Still, it’s tough to rationalize drafting an edge rusher in the second round after suffering such a serious injury.
Ravens Made Telling Trade for Edge Rusher
Tired of waiting on Ojabo & Co. to produce, the Ravens made a move to improve their defense, sending a conditional 2026 fifth round pick to the Tennessee Titans in exchange for veteran edge rusher Dre’Mont Jones.
“Sources: The #Ravens are trading for #Titans edge Dre’Mont Jones, sending a conditional 5th rounder that could possibly become a fourth-rounder,” NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport wrote on his official X account on Monday, November 3. “More defensive help in Baltimore from a player whose has had 4.5 sacks in the last four games.”
Jones has been one of the best players on Baltimore’s defense since his addition and put together arguably the best season of his career with 35 tackles, 6.0 sacks and a whopping 21 QB hits through 15 games.
It’s the second season in a row with at least 6.0 sacks for Jones, who had a career-high 6.5 sacks in both 2020 and 2022 with the Denver Broncos.
NFL Hits Ravens Edge Rusher David Ojabo With Hefty Fine