The Baltimore Ravens have the 22nd overall pick in the 2019 NFL draft.
Many experts expect the Ravens to select a running back or a wide receiver with the pick. If a mock draft does not have the Ravens taking an offensive player, then it will have edge rushers or defensive line prospect going to the Ravens, instead.
However, very few mocks give the Ravens a cornerback at No. 22. While many Ravens fans will not have an issue with that, given the age and depth necessary for a good secondary, it may be time to look at another cornerback.
The Ravens currently have a very good rotation with the likes of Marlon Humphrey, Jimmy Smith, and Brandon Carr, as well as nickelback Tavon Young, who recently signed the most lucrative contract a nickelback has ever signed. While having three strong boundary corners sounds like an envious position for any team, both Smith and Carr are in their 30s. By the time the season starts, Carr will be 33 and Smith will be 31.
While Carr and Smith played at a very high level in 2018, it is not a sure thing for corners to maintain a high-level play into his 30s. Carr, who has never missed a start in his 11-year career, may play at a high-level again in 2019. However, Smith, who has been plagued by injuries for most of his career, may not be available for the entire season. In the case of Humphrey, he missed a pair of games in the 2018 regular season due to an injury. While depth is still there with the likes of Anthony Averett in the back, it may be time for the Ravens to acquire one more cornerback to solidify the secondary.
Another reason for the Ravens to take a defensive back at No. 22 is to find a potential replacement for Eric Weddle. Weddle, also over the 30-year mark, showed a slight decline in play physically in the 2018 season. The potential pick of a cornerback such as Trayvon Mullen, Deandre Baker, Greedy Williams, or Byron Murphy at No. 22 would enable the Ravens to move either Carr or Smith back to free safety in the same manner that the Ravens moved Lardarius Webb back to free safety in the 2016 season.
With the added versatility of having a cornerback playing free safety, the Ravens could vary their defensive packages and be even more difficult to move the ball against. While the Ravens do have a bigger needs than another defensive back, one cannot ignore the impact of another body with true talent.
The future of the Ravens’ secondary is not set in stone. Both Smith and Weddle have been the subject of talks of not being on the Ravens this season. Weddle has contemplated retiring or going to a different team while Smith could be cut (especially after the Tavon Young contract). If either Weddle or Smith moves, the Ravens would need an additional defensive back to fill in the missing snaps on defense.
While the Ravens could pursue someone in free agency (some individuals link Baltimore with Tyrann Mathieu), addressing a need for a defensive back could be done in the draft where the Ravens also have multiple third- and fourth-round picks.
Of course, the Ravens should probably pull the trigger on the best wide receiver prospect, which may be N’Keal Harry of Arizona State or D.K. Metcalf of Ole Miss, but the Ravens should keep their options open if a group of receivers goes off the board before Baltimore comes on the clock. In the first draft of Eric DeCosta’s reign, the Ravens will look to make a splash with a variety of effective pickups.
The Ravens do have needs at other positions, but the Ravens should not overlook talented players at positions of needed depth.
The Ravens also have the potential to slide up or down in the draft based on their later picks and future assets, but they should look to make the most of each selection.
27 Responses