Filling Big Shoes: The Unique Challenges Facing Zach Orr as Ravens’ New Defensive Coordinator
The Baltimore Ravens and head coach John Harbaugh are hoping for yet another successful regular season and a chance to exact revenge on the Chiefs in the postseason as the 2024–25 NFL regular season draws near, now just 18 days away. However, before they can achieve that goal, the Ravens have some fresh changes to get used to during the season if they are to have any chance of going deep into the playoffs. The most notable one is that Zachary Orr, a former linebacker with the Ravens, was promoted to the position of defensive coordinator. After Mike Macdonald left to become the head coach of the Seattle Seahawks over the summer, Orr, who is only 32 years old, was given the chance to take charge of one of the league's top defensive teams. Having said that, there are a few obstacles that Orr will need to overcome entering his first season calling defensive plays for the Ravens.
The Departure of Key Impact Players in Free Agency
As Orr begins his first season as the defensive coordinator, the Ravens lost a number of very influential players this offseason to free agency. The most prominent players to leave the Ravens defense were Geno Stone, Jadeveon Clowney, and linebacker Patrick Queen, who signed with the Steelers. Together, these players helped the Ravens rank among the top five defensive units in the league last season. Following Queen's exit, the Ravens and Orr will need to replace the void left by Queen, who formed a formidable linebacker tandem with veteran Roquan Smith, as the top two leading tacklers on the team last season. Since Trenton Simpson has shown promise in the preseason and attracted the attention of both Orr and Harbaugh, the Ravens are optimistic that Simpson may break through and establish himself as Smith's next middle-of-the-field partner in crime this season and beyond.
Meanwhile, the Ravens must make up for Clowney's departure on the defensive line, after he inked an offseason contract with the Carolina Panthers. Clowney had a stunning comeback season, registering 9.5 sacks, which equaled his career best set in 2017 with the Texans, and emerged as a key component of the Ravens edge rush attack in his only season with the team. The Ravens will now need to rely on other players to attempt and bridge the distance on the edge as a team. The Ravens are placing their hopes on young pass rushers David Ojabo and Odafe Oweh, who have both struggled with injuries and uneven play in their early careers, to develop into effective edge rushers. In addition, veteran linebacker Kyle Van Noy, who recorded nine sacks in his final 12 games of last season, decided to re-sign with the Ravens. The re-signing of Van Noy can offer stability to the Ravens' edge rusher group and provide critical stops and sacks when required.
Handling the High Expectations
The promotion of Orr to the defensive coordinator role comes with high expectations of being a part of a top-tier organization in the Ravens. With talents like Roquan Smith, Kyle Hamilton, rookie Nate Wiggins, and Justin Madubuike on the roster, Orr is under increasing pressure to continue the Ravens' elite defensive production after the team's success under Macdonald's direction as defensive coordinator the past two seasons. A further factor adding to Orr's anxiety is that, having coached inside linebackers for the previous two seasons, he lacks expertise in calling plays for a whole defense. Despite Orr spending three seasons with the Ravens as an undrafted free agent from 2014-16 before being forced to retire due to a neck/spinal condition, and having experience within the Ravens system, if the Ravens want to ensure a seamless transition to a new coordinator, Orr's adaptability as a coordinator will be essential.
The Art of Juggling Aggression and Discipline
The Ravens have a reputation for playing with aggression and toughness, which has helped them establish themselves as one of the league's most formidable defenses since their arrival in Baltimore. When Macdonald took over as defensive coordinator, the Ravens changed their defensive scheme from being a strong blitz team under Wink Martindale before Macdonald came to Baltimore to a more balanced scheme approach. As a result, opponents were never sure when Macdonald would decide to rush four or decide to send the house toward the quarterback. In order to build another formidable defense in Baltimore in 2024–2025, Orr, who will take over as coordinator, will need to design his own game plan while also incorporating elements of Macdonald’s scheme, which included being unpredictable and disciplined in their assignments.
It will be a season full of firsts for Orr as the defensive coordinator for the Ravens, as well as opportunities for growth. Orr will have his hands full trying to both establish himself as an NFL coach and preserve the Ravens' stellar defensive standing this season. Despite the difficulties that Orr and the Ravens may have in the early going, Orr has a solid foundation that can be counted on to succeed this coming season because of his familiarity with the team, his respect from his players, and having a veteran head coach in Harbaugh. The NFL community will be keenly observing Orr's new responsibilities to see whether he can live up to the hype of being the newest rising coaching star in the game today.
