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Trenton Simpson's versatility is fueling his breakout season
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- Trenton Simpson's versatility is fueling his breakout season
Trenton Simpson has reached another level in his fourth season with the Baltimore Ravens, becoming the versatile defender his athletic profile always suggested he could be coming out of Clemson.
Simpson enters Week 5 as the only AFC player with at least 20 tackles, five tackles for loss, and an interception this season, according to Ravens Communications. Simpson has recorded 26 tackles through four games, already matching his combined total of five tackles for loss from the entire 2024 season.
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His latest performance best showed his growth.
Simpson recorded a team-high nine tackles during Baltimore's 24-18 win over the Tennessee Titans. On Tennessee's opening possession, he diagnosed Cam Ward's shovel pass, intercepted it, and returned the ball 24 yards. Derrick Henry scored five plays later, and Simpson's first career interception produced the game's opening touchdown.
The production reflects how Jesse Minter and defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver are using Simpson's complete skill set. At 6-foot-2 and 242 pounds, Simpson has the speed to pursue plays from the backside, the strength to attack blockers near the line of scrimmage, and the movement ability to handle coverage responsibilities in space.
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That versatility allows Baltimore to move him around the formation instead of limiting him to a traditional off-ball linebacker role. Simpson can attack downhill against the run, rush from different alignments, or drop into coverage without forcing the defense to change personnel.
The consistency has been equally important. Simpson recorded four tackles and two tackles for loss against Indianapolis, six tackles and another stop behind the line against New Orleans, then added seven tackles and two tackles for loss against Dallas. His nine-tackle performance against Tennessee pushed his season total to 26.
Baltimore already has established defensive centerpieces in Roquan Smith and Kyle Hamilton. Simpson's emergence gives Minter and Weaver another movable piece who can affect the game at multiple levels.
Four games into the season, the Ravens are no longer waiting for Simpson's athletic potential to translate. It is beginning to shape their defense.
This article originally appeared on Ravens Wire: Trenton Simpson's versatility is fueling his breakout season
