Replacing one of the best defensive coordinators in football won’t be easy, but that’s the task for the Baltimore Ravens.The Ravens hired former linebacker Zach Orr as their next defensive coordinator after Mike McDonald left after being hired as the head coach of the Seattle Seahawks.
Orr served as the inside linebackers coach and McDonald as the defensive lineman the past two seasons, but the duo has grown together to lead one of the best defenses in football. Baltimore’s defense ranked first in the league (60), fewest points per game (16.5) and tied for first in turnovers (31).
With Orr replacing McDonald, the Seahawks coach spoke highly of the Ravens’ newly hired defensive coordinator and believes he will one day lead more than just the defense.“He knocks it out of the park,” McDonald said of Orr on 105.7 The Fan. “He’s the future coach of this league, so enjoy him while he’s there. Boys lighten their hair, play and play together.”Under Orr, Baltimore has built one of the best linebacker duos in football with Roquan Smith and Patrick Quinn.
Smith led the team with 163 tackles and was first team All-Pro, while Quinn had 133 career tackles and was second team All-Pro.The duo may not return as Queen is a free agent this offseason and Baltimore may not have more than $5 million in cap space for him. Queen’s future lies elsewhere, but he has high regard for Orr and his work as a coach and could be just what the Ravens defense needs.”He’s worried,” Regina said.
“He’s so young that he can relate to everybody, he’s played the game at such a high level and he’s been an All-Pro, so he’s not going to rest until the job is done. “He’s everything you want from a coach, someone who’s been in your position before, understands you, just knows defense and football.”Orr joined the Baltimore coaching staff as a defensive analyst in 2017 after signing with the Ravens as an undrafted free agent out of North Texas in 2014.
Orr got his chance as the starting quarterback in 2016 and made the most of it, leading with 132 tackles and 7.5 tackles for loss. While his career was on the rise, Orr suffered two herniated discs in Week 16 against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Following the injury, the Ravens’ medical team determined that Orr was suffering from a congenital spine/neck condition, and he sat out the 2016 season.
