Ravens Insider: Ravens DT Nnamdi Madubuike provides most encouraging update yet

[ExtremeRavens]

Injured Ravens star Nnamdi Madubuike provided his most encouraging update so far on Friday night, posting a video of himself working out on his Instagram story.

In the video, the Pro Bowl defensive tackle can be seen slamming a medicine ball repeatedly into the ground from over his head on his knees while music blares in the background of the undisclosed gym. It also came shortly before the Ravens agreed to a blockbuster trade for All-Pro edge rusher Maxx Crosby, sending this year’s first-round draft pick (14th overall) and next year’s first-round pick to the Las Vegas Raiders in exchange for one of the league’s most elite pass rushers.

As for Madubuike, who suffered a season-ending neck injury in Week 2 of this past season, casting doubt over his future, it marked the second promising sign since the end of January when he posted on X, “Good news.”

General manager Eric DeCosta did not provide an update on Madubuike two weeks ago at the NFL scouting combine, but things are clearly trending in a positive direction.

“A lot of that is things he needs to address with you guys in his time,” then-coach John Harbaugh said in late September when asked if he was worried it could be career threatening. “I really can’t speak for him, wouldn’t want to. Those are questions that would be best answered by him going forward.”

Whether Madubuike’s posts mean that he will be able to return for next season remains to be seen, but his potential return, along with Crosby’s addition, would be a massive boost for a defensive that was one of the worst in the NFL last season, particularly in getting to the quarterback.

Madubuike, a 2020 third-round pick, did not immediately respond to messages for comment, nor did his agent.

“I can’t really discuss that, obviously,” DeCosta said in January when asked about Madubuike’s injury. “I will say, not having Nnamdi this year was a horrible situation for our team. I think it affected us in different ways — in many ways. He is a great player, a great person, a special person.

“Still working through a lot of his different ideas and things [so] that we can hopefully get more and more information about his situation. But more than that, I think just — I couldn’t talk about the specifics of him and his situation.”

Now, though, new coach Jesse Minter will have Crosby to supercharge a defense that ranked 24th in yards per game (354.5), 28th in pass rush win rate (30%), per ESPN analytics, and produced the third-fewest sacks (30) in the NFL last season. Perhaps more news on Madubuike will come soon as well.

Should Madubuike return, Baltimore will have the needed depth and impact up front with the ascending Travis Jones and veteran John Jenkins, each of whom Baltimore signed to extensions during the season. Madubuike also signed a four-year, $98 million extension in 2024.

Stay tuned.

Have a news tip? Contact Brian Wacker at bwacker@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/brianwacker1.

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