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AFC North: Ravens use loophole to improve 90-man roster

The International Pathway Program was designed to help foreign players chances not 2nd rounder David Ojabo

By Jared Mueller
/ new
Baltimore Ravens v Tampa Bay Buccaneers Photo by Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images

There is an old saying “if you ain’t cheating, you ain’t trying.” Outside of the bad grammar and bad ethics, many Cleveland Browns fans have felt like the Baltimore Ravens, Pittsburgh Steelers and New England Patriots have bought into that saying over the years.

  • The Ravens are known for holding as much as possible in the secondary hoping refs won’t call it all the time
  • The Steelers are often overly physical, some believe dirty, including a lineman jumping on an injured Anthony Walker laying on the ground and taking out Nick Chubb’s knee last year
  • The Patriots have been caught up in a lot of “-gate” situations over the years

While not cheating, Baltimore found another loophole that feels like bending the rules a bit. This time, the Ravens are using the International Player Pathway program which is described by the league as:

The International Player Pathway program is part of a broader long-term commitment from the NFL and its 32 clubs to accelerate global football development efforts, and see more international talent play the game. The NFL has a strategic focus on engaging and enabling athletes of all ages to find, play and thrive in the sport.

Basically, giving international players a chance that they wouldn’t normally get, because roster spots are too precious, by allowing teams to carry one extra international player.

A program meant to give players a chance they normally wouldn’t was used by Baltimore on second-round pick LB/DE David Ojabo.

Ojabo moved to the United States with his family when he was 17 years old. He spent three years with the Michigan Wolverines, including 11 sacks in 2021, before being drafted in the second round.

Not exactly the type of player that the IPP program was designed for but he was approved:

That it was approved by the league means it isn’t cheating and is just a loophole found by the Ravens. It will be interesting if other teams find players on their roster who were born in other countries to take advantage of this loophole and keep an extra talent, instead of a developmental international player.

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