“Super Bowl or bust, all this kind of stuff, it’s just so phony…It’s about the process, it’s about who you become.” John Harbaugh’s words ring louder than ever as the Ravens gear up for 2025, a team straddling the line between last winter’s playoff heartbreak (thanks, Buffalo) and a reinvigorated roster. With fiery veterans like DeAndre Hopkins and Jaire Alexander now in the mix, Baltimore’s locker room pulses with a new edge. But behind the scenes, two starkly different stories are unfolding.

In the background, Harbaugh balances this whiplash: sky-high expectations on one side, a gut-punch injury on the other. And smack in the middle? An unheralded linebacker is turning heads where it matters most. Enter Tavius Robinson. The 6’6″, 262-pound linebacker has drawn rare praise from OLB coach Chuck Smith. He labeled him a “centerpiece” of the defense. With injuries thinning the roster, Robinson’s rapid development isn’t just encouraging, it’s necessary.

“I think [Robinson] is going to really put his hands on people, get knocked back, change the line of scrimmage.” Ravens LB’s coach Matt Robinson said. “I know the inside linebackers like playing behind him, because he’s going to change the line of scrimmage in front of them, and usually it turns out good for the Ravens.” The fourth-round pick from 2023 has fully embraced comparisons to Ravens legend Jarret Johnson, right down to the No. 95 jersey. “A hundred percent, yes,” Tavius admitted when asked if he models his game after the former enforcer. “The way he played, the physicality, the effort… He’s a legend for sure.”

Robinson’s impact transcends traditional metrics. While his 3.5 sacks last season won’t command headlines, his disciplined edge containment and run defense (ranked 53 per PFF) reveal why coaches consider him indispensable. The organization’s confidence was evident when they rested him during the preseason opener – a strategic decision typically reserved for established starters.

This development mirrors Baltimore’s historical appreciation for nuanced defensive roles. Like Jarret Johnson before him, Robinson’s value lies in executing assignments that enable splash plays elsewhere. His 83% snap efficiency rating in two-gap situations demonstrates this symbiotic role within the Ravens’ scheme.

“Just playing my role to the best of my ability,” Robinson shrugs. But in Baltimore, where legends like Lewis and Reed built a legacy, they understand: championships demand unsung heroes. His emergence offers hope, but Harbaugh now faces a harsh counterbalance, a promising career just derailed before Week 1.

John Harbaugh grapples with preseason injury blow

Just as Baltimore’s defense starts clicking with emerging players like Tavius Robinson, the football gods deliver a brutal one-two punch. The Ravens will enter 2025 missing both rookie sixth-round corners, Robert Longerbeam (torn patella tendon) and Bilhal Kone (ACL/MCL tear), after training camp turned cruel.

“It’s a little bit of a setback for sure,” John Harbaugh admitted. “I was starting to count on [Longerbeam] and count on B.K., too. Those two guys were really looking like they could help us this year.” The coach’s disappointment says it all: Longerbeam had flashed lockdown potential, while Kone’s physicality stood out in preseason snaps.

Losing depth hurts any team, but for Baltimore, the timing couldn’t be worse. The AFC North might be football’s toughest division. Joe Burrow’s Bengals are healthy, the Steelers rebuilt their O-line, and the Browns added Jerry Jeudy. The Ravens’ margin for error just shrank. Remember: last year’s playoff loss to Buffalo exposed their secondary when Marlon Humphrey got banged up. Now, with two developmental DBs gone, the pressure rockets onto Humphrey to stay healthy.

There’s a reason Harbaugh immediately name-dropped rehab: he knows fans are panicking. “We’ll get them in rehab and they’ll be back next year,” he offered, but that’s cold comfort for a team built to win now. Lamar Jackson is in his prime, and Roquan Smith is leading the defense. And new additions like Jaire Alexander were supposed to put this roster over the top. Instead, the Ravens are already digging into emergency options. 

The silver lining? Baltimore knows adversity, like in 2022 when they lost Marcus Peters, Ja’Wuan James, and Kyle Fuller in camp, then still pushed to a 10-7 wild-card berth. But with Super Bowl expectations, Harbaugh can’t afford many more setbacks before September.