Making their one-year contract official on Tuesday, the Ravens believe the addition of two-time Pro Bowl cornerback and Baltimore native Kyle Fuller completes the retooling of their secondary for the 2022 season.
After bidding farewell to cornerbacks Jimmy Smith, Tavon Young, and Anthony Averett this offseason, the Ravens coveted a veteran with plenty of experience under his belt, especially with Pro Bowl cornerbacks Marlon Humphrey and Marcus Peters coming off season-ending injuries in 2021 and the rest of the position group so unproven. Even after a difficult 2021 season in Denver, the 30-year-old Fuller fits the description and has the ability to play outside and in the slot.
“He knows how to play the game [and] fits what we’re trying to do right now in the secondary really well,” head coach John Harbaugh said. “I think his veteran presence is going to add a lot to our defense. I think it finished off our secondary. Never say never, but for now, I feel really good about that group back there — I mean, really good — about the secondary personnel wise.”
Of course, Fuller was just the latest significant addition in the secondary after general manager Eric DeCosta signed former New Orleans safety Marcus Williams to a five-year, $70 million contract at the start of free agency and drafted first-round safety Kyle Hamilton and fourth-round cornerbacks Jalyn Armour-Davis and Damarion Williams. With such high-end talent added to a safety position that also includes Chuck Clark, Geno Stone, and Tony Jefferson, second-year defensive back Brandon Stephens is now expected to play more cornerback than safety for the time being.
And despite the Ravens finishing last in passing yards allowed and 30th in pass defense efficiency last season, there’s no shortage of hype from fans and some local media with Humphrey being asked whether this secondary has the potential to be the NFL’s best.
“I would love to prove it. That’s the biggest thing for me. I would love to make that statement be true,” Humphrey said. “I know there’s a lot of work to go into it with me coming back from injury, Marcus coming back from injury, a rookie Kyle Hamilton, a vet [in] Chuck that’s really led our defense the past couple years. I know we have all the pieces, so I think it’s all really down to the players to just go out there, communicate, be fundamentally sound, and prove it.
“I think we’re in a position that I can’t recall we’ve been in before with just who we have, and I think it will all just come down to us.”
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In truth, such a stable of defensive backs isn’t unusual for the Ravens and reinforces a defensive roster-building philosophy that’s endured through multiple defensive coordinators now. And though Baltimore envisions 2021 first-round pick Odafe Oweh taking a big step forward in his second season and hopes second-round rookie David Ojabo can return from a torn Achilles tendon to contribute as a rookie, the pass rush has been an annual concern since the free-agent departures of Terrell Suggs and Za’Darius Smith four years ago.
Yes, the Ravens are once again betting on their pass coverage anchoring their defense, a strategy that led to three finishes in the top five and another top-10 finish in pass coverage efficiency from 2017-20. Of course, it all fell apart last year with three projected starters in the secondary suffering season-ending injuries and other depth pieces missing extensive time.
The hype is nothing new for the Ravens secondary this time of year with Pro Football Focus ranking them seventh or better entering training camp from 2017-21. The key to rebounding in 2022 will be keeping as much of the group on the field as possible for a full season.
