The NFL has terraformed into a pass-happy league over the last decade. Stuffing the run between the tackles has become less of a necessity since offenses are increasingly trying to spread defenses out and like to run more outside zone when they do decide to keep the ball on the ground.
As a result, the need for more athletic defensive linemen that can both generate greater interior pressure and possess more lateral agility is on the rise.
Last offseason, the Ravens remodeled the interior of their defensive front-seven with that in mind. They let hulking defensive tackle Michael Pierce walk in free agency, traded for five-time Pro Bowler Calais Campbell, signed Derek Wolfe, and drafted Justin Madubuike in the third round out of Texas A&M.