Limited space under the salary cap means the Baltimore Ravens need to be selective shoppers in 2025 NFL free agency, something they can be by replacing cornerback Brandon Stephens with Minnesota Vikings starter Byron Murphy Jr.
It’s a fit of player and team proposed by Aaron Schatz of ESPN. He pointed out how the Ravens can move on from struggling free agent Stephens, but they face difficulties like not being able to afford premium options like “D.J. Reed or Charvarius Ward.”
Fortunately, Schatz believes “Murphy might come a bit cheaper because he wasn’t seen as a star cornerback until his breakout season in 2024.”
Aside from snatching a career-high six interceptions, Murphy is also an ideal candidate to play in the complex schemes the Ravens favor on the back end of their defense.
Byron Murphy Jr. Suits Ravens’ Coverage Schemes
As Schatz noted, Murphy “would fit a Ravens defense that plays a mix of man and zone defenses; Minnesota played zone 69% this past season — the fourth-highest mark — although Murphy also excelled in man coverage.”
Having the versatility to alternate between different coverage styles and still thrive in matchups in space is an invaluable trait for any corner. Murphy’s flexibility makes him useful across multiple schemes.
So does his 5-foot-11, 185-pound frame, nose for the ball and willingness to be physical. Those qualities helped Murphy undercut this throw by Mac Jones against the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 10.
This was a classic example of a cornerback mirroring a receiver and still managing to put eyes on the quarterback and get his hands on the ball. The Ravens would welcome this kind of ball hawk after grabbing just 12 interceptions last season, seven by two cornerbacks, six for Marlon Humphrey and one for rookie Nate Wiggins.
Humphrey is still playing at a high level, while 2024 NFL draft first-round pick Wiggins showed some promise. Their successes counteracted the ongoing struggles of Stephens.
Replacing Brandon Stephens an Obvious Step for Ravens
Being the odd man out in an otherwise capable secondary makes Stephens an obvious candidate to be replaced this offseason. The 27-year-old gave up 8.9 yards per target and allowed a passer rating of 106.1, per Pro Football Reference.
Stephens was also beaten for a quartet of touchdowns during the regular season, as well as this one by Van Jefferson against the Pittsburgh Steelers in the playoffs.
Moving on from Stephens makes sense, but turning to this year’s draft class has risks. Murphy would be more of a sure thing, but his market value is a factor.
The veteran is projected by Spotrac.com to earn $22.1 million annually across the next four years. That’s rich for a Ravens team set to have only $12,928,872 worth of room under the cap.
It’s going to take some creative wrangling by general manager Eric DeCosta to put the Ravens in a position to afford Murphy. The recent upward career trajectory of a defensive back who has good zone eyes, can play press and even blitz the line of scrimmage, means any such such effort would be worth it for the Ravens.
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