Buchanan took his comeback up a notch against the Titans in Week 4. Getty
Jesse Minter knows the Baltimore Ravens suddenly have more quality options than expected at a key position on defense, so he revealed his matchup plan to solve a "beautiful problem" and get a returning starter involved, after the playmaker "ramped up" his comeback during the 24-18 win over the Tennessee Titans in Week 4.
Head coach Minter told reporters he's prepared to get Teddye Buchanan into the lineup alongside both starting inside linebackers, Roquan Smith and Trenton Simpson. As Minter put it when speaking to the media on Monday, October 5, "We had all three out there a few snaps yesterday against some 12 personnel, things like that. Kinda mixed in some different groupings with those guys."
Finding room for Buchanan won't be easy when Simpson is the most prolific linebacker in the AFC. Yet, Minter pointed out "as Teddye has come back and proven to be, you know, capable of playing some more snaps, that we'll certainly try to find out ways to get use out of both him and Trent."
Scheme and matchups will determine how often the Ravens change their defense to play a three-linebacker package. So can Buchanan's own performances off his recovery from the torn ACL that cut his promising rookie campaign short.
Fortunately, Minter only needed one play to know why the Ravens must get last season's breakout find onto the field.
Buchanan's comeback was "ramped up some" against the Titans, according to Ravens.com Editorial Director Ryan Mink . He noted Buchanan was on the field for "11 defensive snaps after just three in his debut in Brazil. Buchanan made a tackle and had the defense's fifth-highest PFF grade (66.6)."
Minter credited Buchanan for making "a great play on a screen play, looked like his film from last year. Playing with confidence, knifing through there, making a really nice open-field tackle."
GettyBuchanan took his comeback up a notch against the Titans in Week 4.
A play like that is why Minter believes "those guys are gonna become, you know, some of our better guys, and it's about us trying to figure out our best guys for each situation."
Those situations will depend on the personnel the Ravens are facing, but Minter has already hinted one way he can turn the problem of having too many good inside linebackers into a positive.
Minter's defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver said it best when he called having to get Smith, Simpson and Buchanan involved a "beautiful problem." Like Minter, Weaver also revealed, "We'll look for ways to incorporate all three at some point," per The Baltimore Banner's Jonas Shaffer .
Those ways already involve the Ravens using their trio of off-ball linebackers to counter two-tight end sets. It makes sense because playing three linebackers gives the Ravens a free player against a seven-man front, either to stop the run or hover in coverage.
The same advantages will also be there against 13 personnel (three tight ends) or two-back sets. Using Simpson, Buchanan and Smith together can even have a ripple effect on other key personnel.
Putting three linebackers into the front seven would allow Minter and Weaver to remove a safety from the box. The Ravens' three-safety package isn't working, amid struggles involving former New England Patriots starter Jaylinn Hawkins and a first-round pick who's enduring some rough performances .
Minter can solve this problem by shifting All-Pro Kyle Hamilton deep. It's an easier scheme fit with three linebackers ahead of him. Hamilton transformed the Ravens' defense when he moved to deep safety in 2024.
Getting Buchanan, Simpson and Smith onto the field together can be this season's catalyst for similar defensive dominance. Starting with helping to shut down a historic running game against the Atlanta Falcons in Week 5.
This article was originally published on HEAVY
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