The Ravens Defensive Mess: Trenton Simpson and a Bit More

Many a local sports voice claim that Trenton Simpson is part of the reason that Roquan Smith has been terrible in pass coverage.  They now claim that Patrick Queen is what made Roquan so effective, not the other way around.  They argue, “if only the Ravens had exercised their one year option on Queen the Ravens wouldn’t be in this predicament.”  The defense would be better if the Ravens replace Simpson, they maintain.

Maybe some of you feel the same way.  Let’s unemotionally examine the Simpson-Smith-Queen issue with some data and film review and see where that leads.  More generally, should Simpson be on the field, or do the Ravens need to acquire an inside linebacker before the trade deadline to help fix the defense, as some now claim?

Patrick Queen, Then and Now

What does the data say regarding Queen?  I like to start with Pro Football Focus’ (PFF) data and combine that with visual information.  Now I haven’t studied film of Queen this season, though I’ve watched several Steelers games.  And based on what I’ve seen of Queen, the data and visual review match up.  Longtime readers know that I’ve never thought Queen was a top end inside linebacker in this league; at best, he’s a solid weakside backer who can be an effective blitzer.

PFF gives Queen an overall grade of 50.9 this year.  In 2023 with the Ravens, that grade was 73.1.  Queen’s run defense grade this year is an awful 41.7; it was 64.8 in 2023.  Queen’s pass rush grade this season is an excellent 81.1 versus a solid 70.1 with the Ravens in 2023.  But Queen’s pass coverage grade this season with the Steelers is a measly 54.1, versus 74.8 last year with the Ravens.

When I’ve watched Queen, he’s made very few impactful plays for Pittsburgh.  He’s been largely invisible in the run game, and a non-factor in coverage.

What does this tell us?  Queen really benefitted last year playing next to Smith.  Without Smith this season, he’s a mediocre presence on the field, and even his pass rush grade in 2024 is a bit misleading because he’s only had 28 pass rush snaps all season (he had 107 last year with the Ravens).  Plus, he obviously plays with two outstanding edge rushers.

It was the right decision to let Queen go.  His value was multiplied because of Smith, and one just can’t argue for paying him the money the Steelers probably wish they had back.  The fifth year option price for the Ravens to have kept Queen for 2024 was $12.7 million.  That made no sense then from a cap and value perspective, and makes no sense now.

Trenton Simpson and Roquan Smith – First, Some Data

Let’s look at Simpson’s 2024 PFF grades, and compare them to Queen’s.  But I add this caveat.  The 2023 Pro Bowl Roquan Smith that Patrick Queen played with is gone.  The 2024 Roquan Smith that Simpson plays with is an imposter.

Now for some 2024 grades for both Simpson and Smith:

Simpson’s overall grade places him 31^st in the league among all linebackers in PFFs ratings.  That’s a good standing for a weakside, first year starting linebacker as compared to all linebackers.  Smith is 61^st in the league.  Queen is 70^th.

Now, can one blame Smith’s putrid play, particularly in pass coverage, on Simpson, as some suggest?  Definitively the answer is “no.”  As I’ve written for weeks now, Smith is consistently in the wrong place in pass coverage.  He’s not as decisive, doesn’t seem to have mastered his responsibilities as a general matter, and isn’t as quick, both physically and mentally.  He went from being a dominant pass defender in 2023, to a complete liability in 2024.  No pass defense can survive the gigantic tsunami generated by a strong side linebacker who can’t control the middle of the field.

Zach Orr’s Utilization of Trenton Simpson

Simpson’s snap count over the first eight games of the season is revealing:

After the debacle loss to Las Vegas (week two), Orr decided to basically take Simpson off the field on passing downs.  One could argue that two weeks is a very small sample leading to a very quick hook on a player who is basically a rookie.  No doubt this was spurred by the Ravens two early losses, and perhaps also by Orr’s rookie status on a Super Bowl contender.  But we all remember what a complete liability Patrick Queen presented all throughout his first season.  And he stayed on the field.

Nevertheless, for whatever reason, Orr made this quick decision to go away from Simpson.  As a general proposition he elected to go with six defensive backs – generally, three corners and three safeties.  Simpson, he concluded after those two games, was a liability in pass coverage and not his preferred blitzer.  As a result, after week two and until last week, Simpson’s snap count percentage hovered in the low 60% area.

But last week, knowing that neither Marlon Humphrey nor Nate Wiggins would play, Orr inserted Simpson back on the field full-time.  He almost had no choice, particularly given the decision to bench Marcus Williams.  So how did Simpson fare on passing downs?

Trenton Simpson in Pass Coverage and as a Blitzer Against Cleveland

I watched the film on Simpson on every passing down against the Browns.  His pass defense was spotless.  I counted only one play where, in my view, he didn’t achieve proper depth in his hash-area zone, though no pass came his way on that play.  Simpson was in the correct area and position on virtually every other pass defense play.  No mistakes.  He carried running backs into the flat areas easily and with high efficiency.  Granted, Cleveland attacked the Ravens secondary down the field and didn’t go after Simpson with the running backs.  But if Jameis Winston had looked that way, his back was covered every time by Simpson.

I noted two plays where Simpson was used as a pure blitzer (at the snap).  On the first play, he was tasked with doing what Patrick Queen did so well last year – occupying a blocker to free up one of the other rushers.  He executed that very well, as he freed up Kyle Van Noy.  Van Noy blew up that pass attempt.  On the second blitz, Winston released the ball so quickly that Simpson’s attempt was not able to fully develop.

What Should Orr’s General Strategy Look Like?

Let’s appreciate what Zach Orr’s strategy had been before the Cleveland game regarding Simpson and his position.  Take him off the field on obvious passing downs and insert an extra defensive back.  Allow Kyle Hamilton to line up in that second inside linebacker spot (and elsewhere) but then use him as a joy stick, moving him anywhere and everywhere up front.

At the same time, ask Roquan Smith to show more “A” gap and edge blitz, pre-snap.  Task Smith with retreating to assigned zones when those alignments are meant as fake reads for the quarterback and offensive linemen.  This requires Smith to recognize receiver routes in and through those areas while he’s racing to get to his zone and man coverage assignments, a more difficult task versus aligning him in a traditional set.  Keep Marlon Humphrey on the slot receiver while asking Nate Wiggins to handle man and zone responsibilities from the outside.  And more.

I’m suggesting that Orr should reconsider his utilization of Simpson.  We don’t yet know how effective he is as a blitzer.  We do know that he ran the fifth fastest forty time for inside linebackers in the entire history of the NFL Combine.  Simpson possesses elite speed.

Can he bring the ferocity on inside-the-tackle blitzes that Patrick Queen brought in 2023?  We really don’t know.  But I’m now of the view that this is a direction the Ravens should immediately explore.  And, perhaps he can utilize that elite speed with a blitz or two off of the edge.  Simpson has held his own through his first eight games as a starter.  It shows on the tape and in the numerical grading.  He has not been the problem.  Let me repeat: Simpson has not been the problem.

Do the Ravens Need to Acquire an Inside Linebacker Before the Deadline?

The simple answer is “no,” at least not as a replacement for Trenton Simpson.  This is not an area I’d focus on if I’m Eric DeCosta.  Safety and edge rushers are much higher priorities.  Now, if you’re asking whether the Ravens should consider a trade for the other inside linebacker position . . . .

I can only say this.  Among all of the big defensive problems, Roquan Smith’s position is the one where improvement absolutely must come from within.  And the way to start addressing his poor play is to reduce some of his responsibilities.  To me, this starts with aligning him more frequently in a traditional position, carving out only part of the middle of the field for him to defend, and allowing Trenton Simpson to man the remaining part that Patrick Queen manned last year.  Task Simpson as you tasked Queen.  Essentially, place your bet that Simpson can help alleviate the burdens on Smith.

I’ll try to touch on the edge rusher situation before film study, if time allows.