Baltimore Ravens: Can Kamalei Correa get into starting lineup?

Kamalei Correa was a defensive force for the Baltimore Ravens on Thursday night, but he faces an uphill battle in trying to crack a deep rotation.

Baltimore Ravens linebacker Kamalei Correa had himself a night to remember in the Hall of Fame Game on Thursday night. He finished the game with seven tackles (all solo), one tackle for loss, three sacks, one forced fumble on a strip sack, an interception and two pass deflections.

The Ravens are loaded at linebacker, and the SAM position (where Correa is currently listed at third on the depth chart) is the deepest of all the linebacker positions. Correa now seems like a lock to make the opening day roster, but what it is going to take for him to be a starter?

The Ravens play a 4-3 defensive front. They have three defensive linemen and four linebackers, the middle), SAM (strong-side), WILL (weak-side), and RUSH.

The middle linebacker position is occupied by C.J. Mosley, who is currently the best linebacker on the team. And if Correa is good enough to take his spot, then there is just no reason to finish writing this article. Hypothetically speaking, if he does overtake Mosley at the position, it would be great for the Ravens because Mosley is going to start somewhere. 

Once again, Correa is currently listed as third on the depth chart at the SAM position. Matt Judon is the listed as the starter with Tyus Bowser behind him. Judon had an excellent season for the Ravens in 2017. He had eight sacks in only 12 starts. He also had 58 total tackles (50 solo).

Equally impressive is Bowser, who was a rookie last year. He was drafted by the Ravens in the second round out of the University of Houston. In limited playing time, he had one interception and three sacks proving he can be very useful with more opportunities. 

Add in Correa, and the SAM position is arguably the deepest position on the Baltimore depth chart. Correa could overtake both Judon and Bowser, but it will be difficult. 

The WILL position makes the most sense for Correa’s starting bid in 2018. The position is currently tied down by Patrick Onwuasor. Unfortunately for Onwuasor, he joined the team as an undrafted free agent. This means the Ravens have less invested in him than they do all the other guys starting at the linebacker positions. 

Onwuasor is no joke though. Last season, he earned the opportunity to start, and he proved he was a tackle machine. He ranked second on the team behind only Mosley with 88 tackles (65 solo). If Onwuasor wants to keep his position away from Correa (a 2017 second-rounder), he will need to continue to produce in practice and into the 2018 regular season. 

Future Hall-of-Famer Terrell Suggs is at the top of the depth chart for the RUSH position. While it will almost be impossible to dethrone him during the 2018 season, the future for Correa seems to be at this position. Correa had three sacks on Thursday night against the Bears. He proved he could get things done out of a three-point stance, which is essential to be able to play the RUSH position.

Currently, the RUSH position is just that. It is a pass-rushing linebacker. If the Ravens put Correa there in the future, the RUSH position is likely to change due to the skillset Correa possesses. Yes, Correa can rush the passer, but he can also drop back into coverage, and hold his own in the running game, with Thursday night’s stat line as evidence. Judon possesses this same versatility at SAM, and all of a sudden, the Ravens defense has many more ways they can attack you. 

No one is looking to push Suggs out the door just yet. He is the emotional leader of this team, and still has plenty left in the tank for another playoff run in 2018. However, the presence of Correa at least makes the Ravens transition from Suggs much smoother than you would think when losing a player of his caliber.