Baltimore, MD – May 24, 2025 – One of Baltimore’s most physically gifted defenders is coming off a breakout year. But instead of solidifying his long-term role, he may be playing his final season in purple and black. Not because of performance — but because the Ravens might simply not be able to afford him.
The player in question, a fifth-year edge rusher entering 2025 with a guaranteed $13.2 million salary, posted career-highs across the board last season: 11 sacks, 16 quarterback hits, and 55 total pressures including the playoffs. It was the kind of production Ravens fans have been waiting for since his first-round selection in 2021. And now it may have priced him out of town.
“Oweh may price himself out of Baltimore,” wrote Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic. “The Ravens have many key players due for extensions, and you can’t pay everyone.”
That list includes franchise quarterback Lamar Jackson and All-Pro safety Kyle Hamilton, who is expected to become the highest-paid player at his position in the league. With so many high-priority deals on the horizon, Baltimore faces difficult choices on the defensive side of the ball.
Although the Ravens picked up the pass rusher’s fifth-year option, their long-term intentions remain unclear. He has flashed elite traits but struggled with consistency, starting just 23 games in four seasons. His potential successor may already be on the roster in the form of rookie second-round pick Mike Green — younger, cheaper, and under team control through 2028.
Even as his market value rises, the organization has shown little urgency toward a new deal. That hesitation might be strategic. As Zrebiec notes, “quality young edge rushers typically find a lot of interest — and money — on the free-agent market.” With another productive season, this one could follow that pattern.
PFF ranked the edge rusher No. 26 league-wide entering 2025, just ahead of teammate Kyle Van Noy at No. 30. Van Noy, despite being 34, continues to deliver well above his contract value, with 21.5 sacks over two seasons and a Pro Bowl nod in 2024. His cap hit for 2025 is only $6.125 million — a bargain by any standard.
Clifton Brown of BaltimoreRavens.com acknowledged the math behind it all, writing that an extension for the younger rusher “could also help the Ravens create cap space to make other moves.” But nothing indicates it’s imminent.
Baltimore has always prided itself on developing young talent — and then making tough decisions. This might be another one. Unless something changes soon, the 2025 season could be the final chapter for one of the team’s most dynamic pass rushers.
