Madubuike Out for Ravens Week 1

Head coach Jesse Minter said Nnamdi Madubuike will not play in the Baltimore Ravens' Week 1 opener at the Indianapolis Colts after a neck injury that ended his 2025 season after two games. Minter called him "really, really close" and said the club feels great about where he is, just not for Sunday.

That is the careful stamp Ravens fans expected. Madubuike returned to the practice field at the start of camp, joined team drills last week, and is on track to play within the first four games. Week 1 in Indianapolis is the one they are skipping.

Neck timeline, contact reps, patience

A serious neck injury shelved Madubuike after just two games last season. Ravens.com's Ryan Mink reported he has taken plenty of reps the past two weeks, including contact, double teams, and pass rush work. Minter framed the holdout as the best decision for Madubuike and said he will be ready to roll soon.

Madubuike himself said there is no way to get all the way back into football shape until you are out there playing over and over. Hills and down-and-backs only go so far. He is getting back in the groove. Fantasy managers who stashed him as a DL streamer will wait at least one more week.

Buchanan out; Colts opener stakes

Linebacker Teddye Buchanan, also returning from a season-ending injury, is ruled out for the opener after limited practices. Broderick Washington Jr. is listed as Madubuike's backup on the depth chart. Nose tackle Travis Jones and veteran Calais Campbell still headline a front that changes shape the moment No. 92 is fully cleared.

Madubuike led all defensive tackles with 13 sacks in 2023 and added 6.5 in 2024 before the neck issue. His absence last year rippled through Baltimore's pass rush. Fantasy IDP rooms and Ravens fans both want him back inside that first-four-games window Minter already sketched.

Week 1 injury news rarely comes with this much optimism attached. Madubuike is close. He is just not close enough for Sunday in Indianapolis.

NBC Sports and Pro Football Talk both relayed the same Week 1 ruling. Madubuike was a limited practice participant all week, and the Ravens chose caution after what was once viewed as a career-threatening neck injury. The next checkpoint is whether he is ready for Week 2 at home against the Saints.

Check the Week 2 report when the Saints come to Baltimore. Until then, Washington and the rest of the line carry the middle.