Most of the focus on players returning from serious injuries for the Baltimore Ravens has been on defensive tackle Nnamdi Madubuike, who looks like he could play in Week 3 after being out for the last 17 regular-season games with a severe neck injury.
Madubuike, an NFL All-Pro and Pro Bowler, might not even be the best defensive player coming back for the Ravens — that might be inside linebacker Teddye Buchanan, who appears on track to play against the Dallas Cowboys after suffering a torn ACL in Week 15 of his rookie season.
“Some additional good news for the Ravens: Linebacker Teddye Buchanan, who has been working back from a December knee injury, is expected to return to action and make his season debut Sunday vs. the Cowboys,” CBS Sports NFL reporter Matt Zenitz wrote on his official X account. “Posted 93 tackles in 14 games last year prior to suffering the torn ACL.”
“Ravens LB Teddye Buchanan is expected to return to action and make his season debut in Week 3 vs. the Cowboys,” Ravens reporter Kevin Oestricher wrote on his official X account on Thursday.
Buchanan Finished 3rd on Ravens in Tackles
Buchanan, 6-foot-2 and 240 pounds, finished 3rd on the Ravens with 93 tackles as a rookie in 2025 — despite missing the final 3 games.
The 4th-round pick (No. 129 overall) out of Cal got a big shout-out from Pro Football Focus NFL writer Bradley Locker this offseason when he put him on his NFL All-Breakout Team — a list of the “next great players at every position.”
“Growth feels like the name of the game on Baltimore’s defense, and it should permeate to Buchanan over the middle,” Locker wrote on May 13. “Even as a fourth-round rookie, Buchanan garnered significant playing time with 652 snaps across the team’s first 14 games. Prior to suffering a torn ACL, Buchanan showed promise with an 8.6% missed tackle rate and a 70.8 PFF run-defense grade. The Ravens have hardly adjusted their linebacker room, which means that Buchanan should obtain another year of starting next to All-Pro Roquan Smith. With Jesse Minter now calling the shots, Buchanan could experience a similar elevation to what we saw with the Chargers’ Daiyan Henley in 2024.”
Buchanan Made NFL Leap Following ACC Transfer
Buchanan, a Palo Alto, California, native, was an All-ACC pick in his one season at Cal after spending 4 seasons at UC-Davis.
In 2024 at Cal, Buchanan had 114 tackles, 12 TFL, 5.0 sacks, 4 pass deflections, and 2 forced fumbles in 13 games. He was an All-Big Sky Conference pick at UC-Davis in 2023.
“Teddye Buchanan said that two years ago he was playing at UC-Davis and not sure what his future held,” Ravens reporter Bo Smolka wrote on X in September 2025. “Now he is essentially competing to be a starting inside linebacker in the NFL.”
As a rookie, Buchanan surprised the Ravens by beating out Trenton Simpson to become the starter after just 1 regular-season game and was named NFL Defensive Rookie of the Month in October 2025.
“Buchanan’s draft stock could be tied directly to his size, athleticism and upside on special teams and in coverage,” NFL draft analyst Lance Zierlein wrote in his pre-draft evaluation. “With below-average play recognition, he becomes more helper than hero as a run defender. He’s twitchy in short spaces and can float through space on fluid feet and smooth hips when asked to cover. Buchanan has physical tools to work with but might never get there as a run defender. Still, if he can cover and play special teams well, he might make a team.”
Ravens Get Positive Injury Update on NFL’s ‘Next Great Player’