This is the update Ravens fans have been waiting on since Week 2 of last season. Nnamdi Madubuike went down with a neck injury against the Browns on Sept. 14, 2025, and never came back — 15 games missed, a two-time Pro Bowler erased from a defense that badly needed him.
The injury was serious enough that it wasn't just a matter of rest. Madubuike underwent neck surgery in mid-April after returning for offseason work, and for months the Ravens gave almost nothing away about what kind of procedure it was or when he'd be full-go again. He showed up to the first camp practice on July 29 in individual drills only, working on the side while everyone waited for the next checkpoint.
That checkpoint arrived Thursday. Jeff Zrebiec reported that defensive coordinator Jesse Minter said Madubuike has started taking part in team segments — an actual step up from solo work — though Minter is still calling him day-to-day.
Jesse Minter said that Nnamdi Madubuike has started to take part in team segments of practice. But he’s still calling his status “day to day.”
Mike Garafolo confirmed the same thing from his own sourcing: Madubuike is getting reps in team drills as his return to play continues. Two beat reporters independently landing on the same phrase — team drills — is the clearest sign yet that this isn't a token PR update.
Team drills now for #Ravens DT Nnamdi Madubuike, whose return to play continues.
Nobody's popping champagne yet. Minter has been consistent all camp that there's a timeline to work through and that game clearance isn't automatic just because a player passes conditioning and individual drills. Team drills are a real checkpoint on that ladder, but they're not the same as being cleared to take on contact in a live game.
Still, for a Ravens defense that noticeably missed his interior pass rush and run-stopping all of last season — safety Kyle Hamilton has talked about how much his presence alone changes the room — every step from individual drills to team drills to (eventually) a game trend the right direction with the opener bearing down.