ExtremeRavens Posted August 1 Posted August 1 Ravens coach John Harbaugh pursed his lips and slightly furrowed his brow. The words that followed expressed some optimism, but only cautiously so. “I’d like to really take it one day at a time and get there first, then there will be opportunities,” Harbaugh said Wednesday when asked about what, for now at least, is a defensive backfield flush with depth and talent. “But we have a deep group back there. Every single guy in the secondary, to my eyes, is playing very well and playing like a 53-man type of guy. It’s a good thing.” And it’s a much different thing than last summer. About a year ago, there were rightly questions and concerns all over the group. Cornerbacks Jalyn Armour-Davis, Arthur Maulet, Damarion “Pepe” Williams and Rock Ya-Sin all suffered injuries during training camp. Former All-Pro Marlon Humphrey was about to undergo foot surgery. Marcus Peters, another All-Pro, wasn’t brought back in free agency. The Ravens’ starting cornerbacks in Week 1 against the Houston Texans were Brandon Stephens, who had switched positions for the second straight offseason, and Ronald Darby, a solid veteran signed late in camp who was coming off a torn ACL the previous year. Perhaps this in part explains Harbaugh’s slight bit of reservation. Entering his 17th season at the helm in Baltimore, he’s been around more than long enough to know that the last day of July is not the time to get too excited about the cards he’s been dealt, especially when he hasn’t seen the flop from the dealer. Yet, among the many questions facing the Ravens as they get set to embark on their 10th practice of training camp in Owings Mills — offensive line, pass rush and whether they have enough to unseat the Kansas City Chiefs — defensive back isn’t one of them. Ravens training camp, July 31, 2024 | PHOTOS After all, the Ravens ended up fielding one of the best secondaries in the NFL last season and tied for the second-most interceptions in the league with 18. This year, Humphrey is healthy and has been a ball hawk during camp. Stephens, who was one of the most targeted corners in the league last season, has proven more than capable. Rookie first-round draft pick Nate Wiggins has been every bit as fast as advertised and has played aggressively. Maulet has been, in the words of Harbaugh, the “right player” for the “right team” in his decision to return. Armour-Davis and Williams, two players with checkered injury histories, have remained healthy and have occasionally flashed. At safety, Kyle Hamilton remains a do-it-all All-Pro. Marcus Williams is healthy after a pectoral injury that inhibited him last year and looks like his old reliable self. Ar’Darius Washington, another player who has been plagued by injuries, has avoided them thus far and perform well. The Ravens also brought in veteran Eddie Jackson and drafted Sanoussi Kane out of Purdue. How good has the secondary been this summer? The Ravens’ defense had 17 interceptions going into Wednesday’s mostly half-speed practice, many of them courtesy of the defensive backfield (albeit most of them came against backup quarterbacks as Lamar Jackson missed nearly a week with an illness). There are others who are expected to contribute as well, including fourth-round corner T.J. Tampa, who should return from double sports hernia surgery in a couple of weeks. “We definitely have depth,” Stephens said. “But, just because we have depth doesn’t mean that’s going to get the job done, so we know that we still have to go out, attack each day and take what’s ours.” There’s that cautious assurance again. A significant part of the equation, however, is the multitude of skills omnipresent within the group. In an era of increasingly position-less football across the NFL, particularly on the back end of defenses, myriad abilities are all but a prerequisite. Brandon Stephens started his Ravens career as a safety before making a successful transition to cornerback. (Kim Hairston/Staff) Last season, the New York Jets’ Zach Wilson was the only quarterback in the league to complete fewer than 60% of his passes, a massive jump from 20 years ago when 60% percent of the league’s passers completed fewer than 60% of their passes. Much of that increase can be traced to the steady and ongoing decline of yards per attempt over the past decade. Like in the NBA, spacing matters, which is why there’s been a jump in 11 personnel (one running back, one tight end, three wide receivers). Last year, teams used the grouping 61.5% of the time, with the Los Angeles Rams representing the zenith at 93.1%. Even the Ravens’ use skyrocketed, jumping from 9.8% in 2022 to 64% last season. The translation: Defenses need to feature more cornerbacks and safeties to keep up — or, better yet, players who are effectively position-less because they can and must do many things, another trait shared with the NBA. In that regard, the Ravens are as well-equipped as perhaps any team in the league. Hamilton can and has played all over the field. Humphrey can play outside or in the slot depending on the matchup and has even spoken about wanting to someday play safety. Stephens, who said he’s “locked in” at corner this camp, already has experience at safety. Harbaugh has talked about the possibility of using Wiggins on the outside or inside. The list goes on. “There are so many different packages,” Hamilton said. “Teams won’t know what we’re doing, who’s playing what. Anybody can line up anywhere, and that’s kind of the exciting thing about being in this secondary. “[Pass game coordinator] Coach Chris [Hewitt] always says … some guy came up with the cotton gin, and he made one that you can move all the pieces and can put [them] wherever, and he uses that analogy of our secondary. I don’t know who that guy is, but long story short, he basically says, ‘Learn every position, so in a game, the best six DBs can play.’ You don’t ever want to be in a position where you have a guy that should be playing, but he can only play at one position.” Put another way, Hamilton said, “We can never have somebody that’s on the field that’s a liability.” That hasn’t been a problem so far, but it’s only the end of July. The Ravens’ season opener against the Chiefs is just over a month away, with games against the Dallas Cowboys, Buffalo Bills and Cincinnati Bengals — all teams with explosive and dynamic offenses — to follow in short order. “We have a lot of guys we’ve got a lot of confidence in,” Harbaugh said. “We just want to see those guys keep doing well, keep growing [and] keep getting better, and see where it takes us.” View the full article Quote
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