ExtremeRavens Posted Thursday at 11:09 PM Posted Thursday at 11:09 PM Trenton Simpson was supposed to be Baltimore’s starting weakside linebacker last year. He was benched by Week 13. Again this year, he figured to be the guy, with no obvious depth chart challenger. Then fourth-round rookie Teddye Buchanan outplayed him two weeks into the season. Starting on Sunday night against the New England Patriots, Simpson will have another opportunity to prove himself. This one the most important of all. Buchanan suffered a season-ending knee injury in the first quarter of last weekend’s win over the Cincinnati Bengals. Simpson filled in from there, totaling seven tackles on 46% of the day’s defensive snaps. He had his best tackling performance of the year, according to Pro Football Focus’ grading system. Harbaugh thought that he played up to snuff, too. The Ravens (7-7) are fighting for their playoff lives. A win over New England, plus a Steelers loss to the Dolphins, would set up a win-or-go-home Week 18. Getting there will require, in part, the best version of Simpson. His teammates didn’t hesitate; they feel he’s ready. “It’s Year 3 now, he’s grown up a lot,” Kyle Hamilton said. “Super excited to put his talent on display because I honestly think he’s one of the more talented people on this team, on this defense.” Why is everyone so confident in Simpson finally turning a corner? A couple of reasons. Defensive coordinator Zach Orr has seen a more comfortable Simpson of late. All-Pro linebacker Roquan Smith was most impressed that Simpson never batted an eye despite twice losing his job. “I admire the way he treated it and his opportunity has come back around,” Smith said. “I know he’s gonna run with it.” Simpson started a pair of games while Smith was injured before the bye week. Orr called that stretch “two of his best games in his career.” Since then, he’s taken edge rusher snaps in certain personnel groupings and become a fixture on special teams, which won’t change as he becomes an every-down linebacker. Orr told special teams coordinator Chris Horton, “If he’s tired, we’ll figure something out, but we need all our best players out there, and he’s one of our best special teams players as well.” Hamilton’s confidence in Simpson emanated most clearly from the Ravens’ shutout win against the Bengals. When Buchanan went down, it was “almost like a seamless change,” he said. “It’s not like he came in and [the Bengals] started gashing us in the run and stuff like that.” Added Harbaugh: “Trent has played a lot of football here. He has been playing all year. He’s been playing well. I think if you watch the snaps that he’s been taking on defense in the last month, month and a half — whatever it’s been — he’s been good.” That’s the Simpson the Ravens need to help plug up the middle of the field, starting with New England’s top-three rushing attack. Not the one who struggled each of the past two seasons. The third-year linebacker out of Clemson was named a starter at the outset of last season, filling in after Pro Bowl selection Patrick Queen signed with the Steelers. Two-thirds of the way through the season, Simpson was benched in favor of Malik Harrison, who also made his way to Pittsburgh. It was “humbling,” Simpson said this past offseason, but “exactly what I needed.” This figured to be his breakout year. He bulked up in the offseason, arriving to training camp looking “like a Greek God,” Smith said. Roster projections envisioned him beside Smith and ahead of the rookie. “I’m ready for Year 2,” Simpson said in June. He was quickly outplayed by Buchanan, who became the first Day 3 draft pick to start on the Ravens’ defense within his first two games since 2006. Fifth-round safety Dawan Landry was the last to do so. Buchanan became the team’s second-leading tackler, earning NFL Rookie of the Month honors in October. “We went with Teddye because Teddye was slightly a little bit better,” Orr said. “But now Trent’s opportunity is back again and Trent stepped right in and played really well.” Baltimore doesn’t have many options if he doesn’t. Buchanan is the third rookie Ravens linebacker to go down with a knee injury this season. Jay Higgins IV missed the past five games and only returned to practice this week. Chandler Martin, a fellow undrafted rookie, tore his ACL in late November. And Buchanan’s absence leaves the Ravens thin at a crucial position. Special teams ace Jake Hummel is next in line. Then the Ravens would turn to the practice squad. Simpson is their only option right now. But the Ravens are confident that he’s ready. “We’re gonna be relying on him down the stretch,” Hamilton said. Have a news tip? Contact Sam Cohn at scohn@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/samdcohn.x.com. View the full article Quote
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