Less than 24 hours after telling season-ticket holders they were still in the market for a cornerback, the Ravens have agreed to terms on a three-year deal with veteran Kyle Arrington.
The move is pending a physical, but the former New England Patriots defensive back projects to become Baltimore’s No. 3 corner, playing the slot with starters Jimmy Smith and Lardarius Webb outside in the nickel package. Despite drafting Texas Southern product Tray Walker in the fourth round of the 2015 draft, the Ravens still considered cornerback to be a concern with Walker, Asa Jackson, and Rashaan Melvin considered the top contenders for the No. 3 spot.
The 28-year-old Arrington brings plenty of experience to the defensive backfield with 56 starts and nine interceptions in his six-year career. He collected 39 tackles, a sack, two forced fumbles, and four pass breakups last season while primarily serving as the Patriots’ slot corner.
Scheduled to make $3 million in 2015, Arrington was released by the Patriots earlier this week even though they lost both of their starting cornerbacks, Darrelle Revis and Brandon Browner, in free agency. Arrington’s play did decline down the stretch last season, but the 5-foot-10 cornerback still graded as Pro Football Focus’ 36th-best cornerback among players who took at least 25 percent of his team’s defensive snaps in 2014.
After losing Corey Graham in free agency last offseason, the Ravens went into 2014 counting on Chykie Brown or Asa Jackson to emerge as their No. 3 corner, but Brown was cut in the middle of the season and Jackson appeared in only seven games due to injuries and didn’t play at a high level when he was on the field. Of course, a season-ending foot injury to Smith and Webb’s lingering back issues turned a depth problem into a full-blown crisis as five cornerbacks ended the season on injured reserve.
General manager Ozzie Newsome simply couldn’t afford to gamble in the secondary for a second straight year with the injury histories of both Smith and Webb.
Originally an undrafted free agent from Hofstra, Arrington spent the 2008 season split between the practice squads of Philadelphia and Tampa Bay. He appeared in one game for the Buccaneers in 2009 before eventually landing in New England where he appeared in 87 career games.
Arrington’s best season came in 2011 when he started 14 games and finished with 88 tackles, seven interceptions, and 15 pass breakups. He is also regarded as a solid special-teams player and figures to be a part of Jerry Rosburg’s coverage units.
