Earlier in the week, the Baltimore Ravens designated defensive end Derek Wolfe to return from short-term injured reserve. Wolfe has been sidelined with back and hip issues since training camp, and his designation means that Baltimore has 21 days to put him back on the 53-man roster, which signals that he could be active when the team hosts the Minnesota Vikings on November 7th.
Wolfe’s return to the Ravens’ defense comes at a great time, especially after all of the struggles that they’ve had before the bye week. Baltimore definitely could use a player like Wolfe to improve the pass rush by generating some interior pressure, which in turn would help the secondary. The more pressure the defensive line gets, the more of a chance the quarterback makes a mistake that could lead to an interception or a fumble.
The veteran defensive lineman was one of the unsung heroes of the Ravens’ defense in 2020 as he finished the year with 51 total tackles and one sack. However, he was one of the best run stuffers in the NFL and freed up his fellow pass rushers for sacks using stunts, proving his worth goes far beyond the box score.
It’s going to be good to see Wolfe back on the field with the other members of the “Monstars” in Campbell and Brandon Williams. The defensive line will also be able to rotate players a lot more during games, which will keep them fresh so they can make more of an impact late in the 4th quarter. Fellow defensive lineman Calais Campbell has played a lot more snaps in 2021 than initially anticipated, so having Wolfe back will ease the burden on him and others on their defensive line.
Wolfe signed a three-year, $12 million contract with the team during the 2021 offseason. His return to the Baltimore defense will count as an addition to the unit, and it helps that he already has a year in the scheme to go off of. Here’s to Eric DeCosta for not having to make a big time trade at the trade deadline knowing that he was going to get Wolfe back in time for the stretch run.
