The largest boon the Baltimore Ravens have defensively is the flexibility of their secondary. The NFL is a passing league and the AFC North is stacked with weapons. Joe Burrow has Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins. Deshaun Watson has Amari Cooper and Elijah Moore, whereas Kenny Pickett has Diontae Johnson and George Pickens. The Ravens must must be outfitted with secondary expertise simply to get by of their division. Regardless of transferring on from Marcus Peters, the Ravens look poised to have a stifling secondary.

The flexibility of the secondary comes on the security place. Marcus Williams, Kyle Hamilton and Geno Stone make up an ideal trio for Mike Macdonald. Williams shouldn’t be solely among the finest center third defenders within the league, however he additionally has a few of the greatest instincts. A wholesome Williams makes an enormous distinction for the protection. Simply ask Trevor Lawrence, who handed for 321 yards and three touchdowns in opposition to the Williams-less Ravens. Williams had 4 interceptions in 10 video games final season, giving him 19 in his profession. He’s not fairly an Ed Reed (no person is) but when a quarterback makes even the slightest mistake, Williams could make him pay. Quarterbacks respect the work Williams does and it forces them to be extra affected person with their photographs down the sphere.

Hamilton is 6-4, and his size permits him to knock the ball away from receivers with out drawing penalty flags. His pace, vary, and rising consolation inside the protection permit him to be in the proper place on the proper time. In his rookie season, Hamilton was used as an additional software or chess piece within the secondary, however the 2023 season ought to see Hamilton’s position improve. He may very well be used extra as the principle robust security. With a 12 months of NFL soccer below his belt, it wouldn’t be shocking if Hamilton turned a play-maker who finds himself always across the soccer. I believe it’s honest to anticipate Hamilton to have three to 5 interceptions in his second season. He impressed as a rookie and may take a soar ahead in 12 months two. I anticipate extra snaps, extra accountability and extra influence from quantity 14.

Geno Stone is an additional reinforcement on the security place. He’s a tough hitting defensive again who could make a play every now and then. Stone has developed right into a participant the Ravens can rely on defensively and on particular groups. Brandon Stephens, who has expertise at cornerback additionally provides the Ravens an additional dose of safety on the security place. From the protection place as a collective the Ravens can optimistically get 10 interceptions, 120 tackles and some sacks. Their greatest influence nevertheless, will likely be all the massive performs that don’t occur down the sphere due to their competency.

With security set, the larger concern is in fact at cornerback. There’s no doubts about Marlon Humphrey, however there are questions that have to be answered. Can Rock Ya-Sin – who has by no means performed a full 16 or 17-game season – get the job executed because the quantity two cornerback for your entire 12 months? In 2019 he performed 15 video games, then simply 13 video games the subsequent two seasons, and was out there for the Las Vegas Raiders for simply 11 video games final 12 months.

No person wants to inform Ravens followers which you can by no means have sufficient corners, so Ya-Sin’s current damage historical past has raised eyebrows within the Flock. Whereas he’s been a stable cornerback for the Indianapolis Colts and the Raiders, his Ravens contract didn’t break the financial institution, and is basically a “Show-it” form of deal.

It really works on paper although. The Ravens assume they made a savvy transfer. They higher be proper.

The excellent news is that the Ravens have a number of younger expertise on the place. Most notably, Damarion Williams appears to be like like a promising nickel nook, exhibiting confidence final 12 months in coaching camp and preseason. He isn’t afraid to leap routes and flashed spectacular ball expertise. The athletic instruments are there, and he ought to get higher with expertise. Jalyn Armour-Davis appeared uncooked earlier than getting damage final 12 months. His pace and twitchiness preserve me . Draftee Kyu Blu Kelly out of Stanford has a lean 6-1 construct, and appears the half. It will likely be attention-grabbing to see if Kevon Seymour will make the group. He’s one of many hardest employees on the follow discipline.

The Ravens must hope one in every of these younger gamers makes a distinction lining up within the slot. That is the place that security depth comes into play. Brandon Stephens is a reasonably dependable exterior cornerback. The Ravens can at all times play Humphrey inside and have Stephens and Ya-Sin exterior. There’s additionally no rule that claims the additional defensive backs must be cornerbacks. The Ravens can line up with three safeties on the sphere very comfortably. There are definitely reservations available, although there’s a surplus of thrilling components. That ought to permit John Harbaugh and firm the power to sleep at evening if these issues pop up. I’m not dropping sleep over it.

Outdoors of some video games the place they fully missed the mark, the 2022 Ravens had been boosted by their secondary. They held Josh Allen to 213 yards passing. Burrow had simply 217 yards by way of the air within the first assembly, a Baltimore win, then simply 209 yards within the playoff sport. The injury-hobbled Ravens performed with the Bengals very competitively. When the protection labored, it actually labored.

The secondary ought to take a step ahead this 12 months for 3 causes. First, Mike Macdonald’s protection isn’t new anymore. The gamers don’t must study the scheme, and so they lose an excuse they may use final September. Secondly, Hamilton isn’t a rookie. An enormous 12 months two soar isn’t simply sensible; it’s anticipated. He has the expertise to be one of the vital dynamic defensive backs within the league.

Lastly, the Ravens have a lot versatility, they will get the job executed in numerous methods.