Eric DeCosta worked his magic and acquired a former All-Pro cornerback on Tuesday. While DeCosta was unable to acquire the real prize on the trade market, Jalen Ramsey, he was able to extract Marcus Peters from the Los Angeles Rams.
On the surface, the move brings a very low risk for both squads. For the Ravens, they gave up a fifth-round pick and young linebacker Kenny Young who had just played zero snaps in Week 6. For the Rams, they were able to escape from Marcus Peters’s contract and have an extra draft pick in the 2020 NFL draft.
The move seems to be a net-negative for the Ravens as Peters has had a much-maligned stint in the NFL since his All-Pro campaign in 2016. Over the last two-and-a-half seasons with the Rams, Peters has been renowned for his ability to be burned in coverage, particularly by Michael Thomas in a midseason game against the Saints last season. While Peters has no intention of tackling, he is a ball hawk and has 24 career interceptions. As a team, the Ravens would have to go back to the 2017 season to get to their 24th pick. Peters is the ultimate boom or bust defensive back as he can be a liability at times when he is not taking the ball away, but he does have tremendous upside with his ability to take the ball away and score anytime he touches the ball. Since being drafted by the Chiefs, Peters has racked up over 600 interception return yards and a quartet of interception return touchdowns, including one this season.
Peters is an explosive athlete with the ball in his hands, and he is faintly reminiscent of Ed Reed with his ability to score off of interceptions.
Hold on? Ed Reed?
The comparison to Ed Reed is a little bit excessive, but Peters has been able to generate interception return yards and interceptions throughout his career. While his interception tallies have diminished since his first two years in Kansas City, Peters still has had good seasons in the NFL. If he can come into the Ravens’ defense and force some turnovers, the Ravens’ defense would be much better off as opposed to the current situation where they are forcing one turnover a game.
Over the last 10 games of the regular season, the Ravens face a plethora of future playoff teams including the Patriots, Seahawks, Texans, and 49ers. Beyond those games, the schedule is still incredibly difficult as the Ravens must travel to Los Angeles to face the Rams as well as contend with Cleveland and Pittsburgh again. With a player like Peters in the secondary, any extra turnover could be the difference in the Ravens playing in January football or sitting at home yet again. While Peters can be a high-risk, high-reward in the secondary, he should be able to spark the defense to make a handful of plays.
It is difficult to discern a winner in the Marcus Peters trade, but the Ravens seem to have the early advantage as Peters has a reputation of being an impact player while Kenny Young has been a relative disappointment this season. Peters will likely not play again at an All-Pro level, but the Ravens won’t need him to. As Peters sits behind star cornerback Marlon Humphrey and do-it-all veteran Brandon Carr, Peters will likely not be in the top-two Baltimore cornerbacks at any point during the season. When Jimmy Smith returns from injury, Peters will likely drop to number four or even number five on the depth chart depending on how well Maurice Canady plays.
Peters is a very cerebral player in the secondary. While he is not as technically sound as other corners such as Stephon Gilmore or his new replacement in Los Angeles, Jalen Ramsey, Peters has a knack for getting between the quarterback and the receiver and intercepting passes. If Peters can pick off a few passes this season, the Ravens will be much better off than they were with a depleted secondary after injuries to Jimmy Smith, Tavon Young, and a pair of safeties. If Peters can play at a high-level, the Ravens will be dangerous on defense.
