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The Ravens have a big problem and a bigger problem ahead of Tuesday’s NFL trade deadline: They need a pass rusher. And so do a lot of other teams.

As the Ravens’ defense has stabilized in recent weeks, boosting hopes of a Lamar Jackson-powered run at a third straight AFC North title, their pass rush has remained punchless. With defensive lineman Nnamdi Madubuike lost to a season-ending neck injury and their outside linebacker room depleted by a trade and injuries, the Ravens entered Week 9 tied for the second-fewest sacks in the NFL (nine). They matched a season high with two in their win Thursday over the Miami Dolphins.

General manager Eric DeCosta is expected to look for help before the window for in-season trades closes at 4 p.m. Tuesday. He has about $14 million in salary cap space and a stash of 2026 draft picks.

But this is a seller’s market for available pass rushers. Potential trade targets such as Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Maxx Crosby (four sacks this season), New York Giants outside linebacker Kayvon Thibodeaux (2.5 sacks), Tennessee Titans defensive lineman Jeffery Simmons (4.5 sacks) and New York Jets defensive lineman Quinnen Williams (one sack) are reportedly unlikely to be dealt, crowding the market for those who likely will be moved. And, with 18 teams at .500 or better entering Monday, there will be a lot of GMs making calls.

Maybe no one needs an impact defender more than DeCosta, though. Since Week 3 — the Ravens’ first game without Madubuike — on drop-backs with four or fewer pass rushers, their defense ranks 24th in the NFL in sack rate (4%) and 32nd in pressure rate (17.2%), according to Sports Info Solutions. No team since at least 2016 has finished a season with a pressure rate below 20% on non-blitzes.

So where could the 3-5 Ravens find reinforcements over the next two days? Here are 11 potential targets on defense.

Edge defenders

Miami Dolphins’ Jaelan Phillips: Injuries interrupted a promising start to Phillips’ career in Miami, where he had 22 sacks over his first three years. The 2021 first-round pick had one sack in four games last year and, after a half-sack Thursday of Jackson, is up to three takedowns in nine games this season. Phillips, who’s in the final year of his contract, also has graded out as one of the NFL’s best run-stopping edge defenders, according to ESPN. The Athletic reported Saturday that the Dolphins are telling suitors they want "at least a third-round pick" for the 26-year-old.

Dolphins’ Bradley Chubb: Chubb, the No. 5 overall pick in 2018, is under contract through 2027, with a base salary of $19.5 million in 2026 and $18.5 million in 2027. He had 11 sacks in 2023, missed 2024 with a torn ACL and has four sacks this season. Chubb, 29, has been a good run defender over his career, though the Dolphins have struggled there mightily this season. Miami could likely get a midround pick for him.

New York Jets’ Jermaine Johnson II: Johnson, the No. 26 overall pick in 2022, has just 11 career sacks, including one since 2024. He tore his Achilles tendon in Week 2 last season and entered Sunday ranked 72nd among 90 qualifying edge rushers in win rate on “true pass sets,” which Pro Football Focus defines as drop-backs excluding plays with three or fewer rushers, play-action, screens, short drops and throws released in less than 2 seconds. Still, according to Sports Illustrated, the Jets are asking for a second-round pick for the 26-year-old, who’s under contract through next season.

Titans’ Arden Key: Key, 29, has been a solid pass rusher for a half-decade, finishing with 4.5 to 6.5 sacks every season from 2021 to 2024. He ranked No. 66 among the 90 qualifying edge rushers in win rate on true pass sets this season and has been a reliable run defender over his career. Key’s in the final year of his contract, which includes a $6.5 million base salary in 2025.

Titans’ Dre’Mont Jones: The 6-foot-3, 281-pound Jones has the size to line up inside, but he’s played primarily on the edge for Tennessee. He had four sacks last season for the Seattle Seahawks and has 4.5 in nine games this year, ranking 48th in win rate on true pass sets. Jones, 28, is on a one-year deal with a $2 million base salary, meaning he wouldn’t take up much space on the Ravens’ cap.

Houston Texans’ Darrell Taylor: Taylor signed a one-year, $4.8 million deal with the Texans in the offseason, but he’s been a healthy scratch in all but four games this fall, recording no sacks in 19 pass rush snaps. Taylor, 28, showed his ability over three seasons with the Seahawks and last year with the Chicago Bears, racking up 24.5 sacks. The Texans’ push for a playoff spot could keep him in Houston, however, as could the ankle injury he suffered in an 18-15 loss Sunday to the Denver Broncos.

Atlanta Falcons’ Arnold Ebiketie: Ebiketie isn’t exactly having a breakout season in his contract year. After posting six sacks in 2023 and 2024, the former Montgomery County resident has zero for the 3-5 Falcons. Ebiketie, 26, is seemingly behind rookie outside linebackers Jalon Walker and James Pearce on the depth chart, along with veteran starter Leonard Floyd. The 2022 second-round pick has an 18.4% win rate on true pass sets, according to PFF, which would easily lead the Ravens this season, but he’s been inconsistent against the run over his career.

New Orleans Saints’ Carl Granderson: Granderson entered Week 9 tied for 16th in the NFL with 4.5 sacks, though that level of production is unlikely to be sustainable. He was tied with Chubb in win rate on true pass sets, ranking just 74th among the 90 qualifying edge rushers. Still, the 28-year-old Granderson has been a reliable pass rush presence in New Orleans, recording at least five sacks in four of his five previous seasons. He’s under contract through 2027 and is due a base salary of $10.8 million each of the next two years.

Interior defensive linemen

Arizona Cardinals’ Calais Campbell: The Ravens nearly arranged a reunion last year with Campbell, who was playing for Miami at the time, but Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel nixed the deal before the trade deadline. Now 39, the ageless Campbell has three sacks and, according to PFF, is tied for fifth on the Cardinals with seven run stops, which are tackles that constitute a “loss” for the offense. He ranks 57th among the 95 qualifying interior defensive linemen in win rate on true pass sets; Travis Jones (No. 28) is the only Ravens lineman ranked inside the top 60. Campbell also remains a strong run defender with inside-outside flexibility. He’s playing on a one-year deal with a $2.3 million base salary.

Titans’ Sebastian Joseph-Day: Joseph-Day, 30, has never been a stalwart pass rusher — he matched a career high with three sacks in 2023 — but he’s a solid all-around lineman who lines up primarily as a two-technique (aligned directly over a guard) and a four-technique (aligned directly over an offensive tackle). Joseph-Day finished behind only Simmons last year in run stops for Tennessee (26) and entered Sunday with 19, also the second most. He’s 30th in win rate on true pass sets among interior linemen and has two sacks this season. Joseph-Day is playing on a one-year deal with a $2 million base salary.

Dallas Cowboys’ Mazi Smith: Smith had massive potential when Dallas took him with the No. 26 overall pick in the 2023 draft, but the nose tackle has been a massive disappointment for the 3-4-1 Cowboys. He’s played just 89 defensive snaps this season and has just three tackles. Smith has two sacks over his career, but with his athletic gifts, there’s some untapped upside in his game. In C.J. Okoye, the Ravens have already turned one raw defensive lineman into a solid run defender. If Smith is available for a late-round pick, he could be worth the gamble. Smith, 24, is under contract through next season, though his base salary rises to $2.6 million in 2026.