Ravens Star Rookie Threatens to Walk Away From Football

Baltimore, MD – June 28, 2025

The Ravens may be staring down their first major rookie drama in years, as their second-round pick threatens to walk away from football over a contract standoff that’s sending shockwaves through Baltimore, per ESPN.

Mike Green, the 59th overall pick out of Marshall, is reportedly demanding a fully guaranteed $10.8 million deal, per Spotrac. “If I’m betting my body on Sundays, I need my future secured,” Green told NFL.com, making it clear during minicamp that he won’t suit up without what he calls “real respect.”

Green lit up college football with 17 sacks in his final season and a lightning-quick 4.55 40-yard dash. His performance in rookie minicamp left coaches buzzing, but his current holdout is now dominating headlines. He’s projected to rotate with David Ojabo and Kyle Van Noy on the edge, per The Athletic, and was drafted to replace the departed Jadeveon Clowney in Baltimore’s aggressive front seven.

But without Green, the Ravens risk entering Week 1 with a major hole in their pressure package—a group that finished top 5 in sacks last season, per Pro Football Focus.

Defensive coordinator Zach Orr addressed the growing tension: “He’s a competitor. We hope to get this figured out before camp gets rolling.” Green’s contract demand isn’t unique—multiple second-round picks this year are asking for guarantees, according to Bleacher Report.

Still, GM Eric DeCosta appears unwilling to bend, despite the team carrying over $35 million in projected cap space for 2026. Sporting News reports that Green’s representatives have floated the possibility of sitting out the 2025 season and re-entering the 2026 NFL Draft if no agreement is reached.

Green’s explosiveness, versatility, and swagger were tailor-made for Baltimore’s system. His 69 tackles and school-record sack total make him one of the most anticipated rookies of the Ravens’ post-Flacco era. But this contract standoff is testing the limits of that excitement.

As the Ravens prepare for a brutal AFC North gauntlet, Green’s future hangs in the balance. Will DeCosta cave—or will Baltimore’s next great pass rusher walk away before ever playing a down?

Stay tuned to ESPN for updates on this developing story.