Baltimore Ravens head coach Jesse Minter offered a measured update Thursday on defensive tackle Nnamdi Madubuike, describing the veteran as day to day as the team prepares for its season opener.
Madubuike has begun taking part in team drills during recent practices, Minter said.
“Ravens coach Jesse Minter said DT Nnamdi Madubuike is ‘day to day’ heading into Week 1,” ESPN’s Jamison Hensley reported. “Madubuike has started participating in team drills, per Minter.”
The news comes after a long and careful rehabilitation for a player whose career appeared in doubt less than a year ago.
Madubuike joined the Ravens as a third-round selection in the 2020 draft and steadily developed into a reliable interior presence.
His 2023 season marked a clear leap forward. He recorded 13 sacks, earned his first Pro Bowl nod and landed on the All-Pro Second Team.
He followed that with another Pro Bowl appearance in 2024 even if his sack total did not match the previous year.
The 2025 campaign began promisingly. In the first two games he posted seven tackles and two sacks before a severe neck injury ended his season and raised questions about whether he would play again.
Team officials have treated his return with caution, prioritizing long-term health over any rush to get him back on the field.
Minter and the coaching staff now believe Madubuike could be available early in the 2026 season.
With more than a week remaining before the opener, there is still time for him to progress further.
The Ravens open against the Indianapolis Colts on Sept. 13 at 1 p.m. ET. Most observers still consider it unlikely that Madubuike will play in that game, yet the coaching staff has not closed the door.
Baltimore enters the year with Super Bowl expectations and one of the more talented rosters of the Lamar Jackson era.
Injuries, however, have complicated those plans in recent seasons, and the team is managing a handful of them as training camp winds down. Madubuike’s situation remains one of the more closely watched storylines because of both his production when healthy and the seriousness of the injury he overcame.
If he is able to contribute even in a limited role early, the Ravens’ defensive line would gain a proven pass rusher who can occupy blockers and collapse pockets.
If the team elects to hold him out of Week 1, the extra rest could help him build toward a fuller workload later in September. Either way, Minter’s update confirms that Madubuike has moved past individual work and into more competitive team settings, a notable step given how recently his future in the league was uncertain.
The coming days of practice will determine how close he actually is to being game-ready.
