The Baltimore Ravens have hired former longtime defensive coordinator Dean Pees as a senior advisor to help bolster a struggling defense under first-year DC Zach Orr.
Pees, 75, was the DC in Baltimore from 2012-17 and coached Orr, then a linebacker, for three seasons.
“I said, ‘Hey, it would be good if you wanted to come up here and be an advisor, be another set of eyes, just be a help to us,’” Orr told The Athletic. “If you get a guy I’m real close with and a guy who knows the culture and is a great football mind, and he’s down for it, to me, it’s a no brainer.”
The Ravens rank 26th in points allowed (25.2) and 31st in pass defense (280.2 yards per game). Under Orr, the Ravens have allowed the second-most points ever through the first five weeks, according to ESPN.
Under Mike Macdonald last season, the Ravens became the first team in NFL history to allow the fewest points, record the most sacks and most takeaways in a single season, per ESPN.
Macdonald left to become the new head coach in Seattle.
Pees came out of retirement to be the DC for the Tennessee Titans in 2018-19 and then the Atlanta Falcons from 2021-22.
The Ravens (3-2) host the Washington Commanders (4-1) on Sunday.