The Baltimore Ravens have some issues with the cornerback position to address in free agency.
Pro Football Focus writer Bradley Locker suggests that the Ravens should add Super Bowl champion defensive back Darius Slay Jr., who was recently released by the Philadelphia Eagles.
“With Brandon Stephens set to hit free agency, Baltimore will presumably seek an upgrade at perimeter cornerback next to Marlon Humphrey and Nate Wiggins. While he likely won’t be on the market until after June 1, Slay is a strong match for Baltimore’s defensive structure,” Locker writes.
“In defensive coordinator Zach Orr’s first year calling the shots, the Ravens played Cover 1 on 23.8% of coverage snaps, the ninth-highest rate in the league. As part of a broader bounce-back 2024 campaign, Slay was strong in Cover 1: His 67.9 PFF coverage grade in the single-high man look ranked 10th among qualified cornerbacks. Likewise, Slay was effective in zone, as reflected by his 76.8 PFF coverage grade in that scheme.”
“Given that he’s 34 and a bit more inconsistent on a yearly basis, Slay figures to be a relatively cheap but savvy addition for a contender after the draft. The veteran would fit Orr’s bunch well and wouldn’t stop the Ravens from still targeting a cornerback in the first few rounds of the draft.”
Slay recently spoke about his future on the St. Brown Podcast, where he talked about playing one final season with a Super Bowl contender.
“I’ve got one more left (on my contract), but you know how that works,” Slay said on the podcast last month h/t Kevin Patra of NFL.com. “Whatever they want to do, I might re-sign back, hopefully. If I ain’t, we’ll see what I’m doing because I do want to play one more year, for sure.”
The Ravens could certainly provide that opportunity, and he would be considered a key cog in the machine to have to keep Slay on top as he rides off into the sunset.