Madubuike remains ‘very limited’ in practice

Madubuike was placed on the active/PUP list to begin camp, but the 28-year-old lineman has been cleared by doctors to return to the field. According to The Athletic’s Jeff Zrebiec, the Ravens are now taking “time to assess his conditioning and acclimate his return to the field,” with the expectation being that he will be activated from the PUP list sometime this week. Madubuike suffered a neck injury in Week 2 of last season and there was some belief that he may miss all of the 2026 season, if not longer. Madubuike earned Second-team All-Pro honors in 2023 when he racked up 56 tackles, 13 sacks, and 11 TFLs, and has proven to be a premier player at his position when healthy.

That would be the first bar Madubuike will have to clear to get back on the field. There was plenty of optimism about Madubuike returning this offseason from Ravens management, but given how long he was out we’d be surprised if he didn’t at least miss a chunk of training camp, and perhaps even some regular season time while he tries to get back into football shape.

Madubuike is at the facility rehabbing and has been taking part “in aspects” of the offseason workout program. While the Ravens are publicly playing it coy about the odds of Madubuike playing next year, they certainly seem to believe there’s a real chance it happens. “In aspects” will probably need to become “in full” before anyone has real faith in him playing in September.

Madubuike recently had surgery to fix a career-threatening neck injury he suffered in Week 2 last season. The neck surgery “left his doctors believing he will be able to resume playing this season,” Schefter said. Madubuike, 28, had 22 sacks over the 2023 and 2024 seasons. His 2025 neck injury was a huge loss for the Ravens front seven. Baltimore’s defense struggled to pressure the passer for much of the year. Madubuike’s return to full health would likely be a marked upgrade for the Ravens under new head coach Jesse Minter.

Madubuike played in Weeks 1 and 2 last year before being placed on injured reserve. Reports regarding Madubuike’s rehab have been tough to find. The injury was rumored to be career-threatening. It seems as though there is a chance that the 28-year-old defender will retake the field. Madubuike racked up 22 sacks in 2023 and 2024, earning two Pro Bowl nods and one second-team All-Pro placement. Getting Madubuike back in the lineup this season would be huge for the Ravens’ defense.

“That will be up to him when the time is right,” Minter said. Madubuike missed almost the entire season with the neck injury and there have been rumors here and there about it being career-threatening. The Ravens badly missed Madubuike as an interior force last year and, if they can’t bring him back, will likely seek to fortify their interior line in free agency and the draft this offseason.

Madubuike was placed on injured reserve last week, but now the sixth-year tackle has been ruled out for the season due to a neck injury he suffered in Week 2. Madubuike’s absence for the remainder of the season strikes a serious blow to a Ravens defense that has been gouged through the first four weeks of the season. He totaled seven tackles, two sacks, and two TFLs in limited action this season, and will hopefully make a full recovery in time for training camp in 2026.

Madubuike had already been ruled out for Week 4 and now will miss the next four games, at minimum, for the Ravens as he tends to a neck injury. It’s a sizable loss on the defensive interior for a Ravens team struggling against the run to start the 2025 season.

Team reporter Jeff Zrebiec believes “Likely has a very good chance of making his season debut Sunday” after practicing in full on Friday. In June, Ravens head coach John Harbaugh said he wants to see Likely be “an All-Pro” this season. The team has handled Likely’s recovery smartly, so they are unlikely to throw caution to the wind. He can only be started as a boom-bust TE2 against the Chiefs. He should be rostered everywhere. Ravens LT Ronnie Stanley (ankle), OLB Kyle Van Noy (hamstring) and NT Travis Jones (knee) are all questionable. Ravens FB Patrick Ricard (calf), DT Broderick Washington (ankle) and DT Nnamdi Madubuike (neck) have been ruled out. Madubuike leads the team with 10 quarterback pressures and two sacks despite sitting out in Week 3. Madubuike, Washington and Jones anchor Baltimore’s 3-4 defense. Patrick Mahomes should be very comfortable in the pocket this week.

Madubuike did not practice at any point last week and looks like a potential injured reserve candidate. John Harbaugh told reporters that he was “concerned” about it but that he’s “not really in a position to comment on it.” That sounds ominous. It’s good news for Kansas City’s running game, which you should probably avoid anyway. (Maybe you can justify a Kareem Hunt FLEX this week?) Travis Jones (knee) did return to practice, but Baltimore’s run defense has been weak this year and doesn’t seem to be getting much healthier.