Next man up is a term that’s used often in the NFL. Injuries are a part of the game, and a team’s depth is as big a factor as any when it comes to postseason aspirations. Unfortunately for the Ravens the depth of their outside linebackers will be tested early on with yesterday’s season ending injury to Terrell Suggs. And while next man up is the right, and only, attitude any team can have, there is no sugarcoating that the Suggs injury is a devastating blow for the Ravens.
Some will argue it’s not a huge loss. Suggs is self-admittedly on “the back nine” of his career, as he put it this past offseason. While he is no doubt past his prime Suggs is even at this point in his career one of the elite pass rushers in the game, and often doesn’t get the credit he deserves when it comes to stopping the run. Defensive coordinators need to game plan for him, offensive lines need to double team him, and opposing quarterbacks will breathe easier with him on the sideline.
(Ed Note: This piece is a counterpoint to Tyler Beard’s piece, which can be found here)
Bringing in a free agent veteran is an option. Dwight Freeney was a name that was being tossed around by some as a fit with the Ravens before Suggs’ injury. But Freeney is 35 and is a situational player at this point in his career, as opposed to Suggs who is on the field for most defensive snaps. Freeney recorded a modest 3.5 sacks last year for the San Diego Chargers. The Ravens could also try and replace Suggs with either Courtney Upshaw or rookie Za’Darius Smith, but neither will scare offenses the way Suggs can. Upshaw didn’t have a full sack all of last season and Smith wasn’t even active for yesterday’s game.
Aside from Suggs’ production on the field he is the unquestioned leader of the Ravens defense. He was the last remaining cornerstone from the Ray Lewis/Ed Reed/Haloti Ngata era. Sure, at times he could frustrate fans and the coaching staff with his goofball antics and class clown mentality, but when Suggs speaks the team listens. The somber mood in the Ravens locker room yesterday had as much to do with the news about Suggs as it did the loss to the Broncos, if not more.
Suggs also brings the edge to the defense that Steve Smith Sr. brings to the offense. He brings the swagger and the cockiness that a defense needs to be successful against quarterbacks like Peyton Manning and Tom Brady. This is the same guy who said, “God can have his soul, but his ass belongs to me,” when talking about Ben Roethlisberger following the Ravens’ shellacking of the Pittsburgh Steelers back in Week 1 of 2011. You simply cannot replace that element that Suggs brings to the Ravens defense. It’s a necessary element for a team to have if their ultimate goal isn’t just to make the playoffs, but to compete for a Super Bowl.
The Ravens season is by no means over. They’ve found ways to recover from difficult injuries in the past, whether it was Jimmy Smith last year or Dennis Pitta the year before. Ozzie Newsome will find a way to ease the blow of losing Suggs. The Ravens will find a way to bring heat to opposing signal callers and the sacks will still come. But replacing Suggs’ numbers is only part of the equation. Replacing that swagger and leadership will be much more difficult.
