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The Baltimore Ravens have reunited with former All-Pro linebacker Zachary Orr, per reports from Clarence Hill of the Fort-Worth Star Telegram and Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic, hiring him as the team’s next inside linebackers coach.
ESPN’s Jamison Hensley later confirmed the move, which sees the ex-Ravens linebacker and coach return to Baltimore for his second stint with the team.
Orr will coach the same position he played for three years in Baltimore from 2014-2016, though two of those were almost exclusively on special teams. But the former undrafted free agent broke out as a starting inside linebacker in 2016, leading the Ravens with 133 tackles and earning second-team All-Pro honors.
A congenital neck/spine condition forced the 24-year-old Orr into an early retirement, though the Ravens retained him as a defensive analyst until 2021.
Orr was later hired by the Jacksonville Jaguars to coach outside linebackers under Urban Meyer in 2021, leading a group that included former first-round picks Josh Allen and K’Lavon Chaisson, plus 2021 fourth-rounder Jordan Smith.
Orr was one of the first names mentioned to replace Rob Ryan as the Ravens’ inside linebackers coach in the latest in a series of staff changes in Baltimore. Don “Wink” Martindale moved on from his position as defensive coordinator, taking with him outside linebackers coach Drew Wilkins. Martindale was replaced by Michigan Wolverines defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald, who brought analyst Ryan Osborn with him.
The changes aren’t just restricted to the defensive side of the ball, as tight ends coach Bobby Engram joined the Wisconsin Badgers as their next offensive coordinator.
The Ravens also hired former Cleveland Browns executive Sashi Brown as the team’s next president to replace the retiring Dick Cass.
Ravens’ ILBs React to Signing
The Ravens will hope that Orr can assist in the development of star linebacker Patrick Queen, who struggled at the beginning of the regular season but put together several solid performances towards the end of the year.
Queen expressed his excitement to work with Orr on Twitter, even earning a response from his new coach.
Veteran linebacker L.J. Fort also posted his response to Orr’s hiring shortly after it was reported.
Fort is still recovering from a torn ACL suffered in the 2021 preseason and he’s not under contract with the Ravens for the 2022 season, though all indications point towards his re-signing in Baltimore.
Ravens Fans Welcome Orr Back to Baltimore
Ravens fans were excited to see Orr returning to Baltimore in an official coaching position after he was forced into an early retirement at just 24 years old due to a congenital heart condition.
Others noted his potential to improve the play of Queen and Malik Harrison, a pair of 2020 draft picks that have since failed to meet expectations as Baltimore’s inside linebacker duo of the future.
After struggling mightily to start the season, Harrison suffered a gunshot wound in Cleveland on Halloween. He managed to return to the field at the end of November, but played all but one of his snaps on special teams to close out the season.
The Ravens are also expected to retain Kristian Welch and Otaro Alaka for the 2022 season. Both have been almost exclusively contributors on special teams in their careers, though Welch saw some snaps on defense towards the end of the 2021 season. Alaka spent the season on the injured reserve list after struggling to recover from a season-ending knee injury in 2020.
Veteran linebacker Josh Bynes is also “beyond interested” in re-signing with the Ravens after a successful third stint in Baltimore in 2021. He’s been frequently credited with stabilizing the middle of the Ravens defense and mentoring Queen.
Orr beat out Bynes for a regular season roster spot in 2014, leading to Bynes’ first departure from Baltimore, though he later returned for the first time in 2019 with Orr as a defensive analyst before his second return in 2021.
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