The Baltimore Ravens dealt with adversity for much of the season in their secondary due to injuries to key players like cornerback Marlon Humphrey and safety Marcus Williams. However, they still were able to have one of the top defensive units and part of that was due to the stepped-up play of cornerback Ronald Darby.
Darby is now a free agent and was highlighted by Bleacher Report’s Alex Ballentine as an “overlooked veteran.”
Ballentine wrote, “Ronald Darby seems to be flying under the radar despite a stellar 2023 season with the Baltimore Ravens.”
Besides the Ravens, who could use the veteran back on the roster, Ballentine points out the Minnesota Vikings and Detroit Lions as potential fits for the 2015 runner-up Defensive Rookie of the Year.
In a league where an emphasis of the passing game increases every season the need to defend the pass is equally important. “Darby was sixth in the league in passer rating allowed and had the lowest average target separation (0.9 yards) in the league,” Ballentine explained.
Ballentine gives Darby further flowers, stating, “The reality is that Darby has been a solid starter for years. He’s had a few seasons hampered by injuries, but he’s only given up a passer rating of 100.0 or more once in the last six years.”
Ravens Cap Space Will Limit Ability to Bring Darby Back
Darby was drafted in the second round of the 2015 draft by the Buffalo Bills. After stops with the Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Commanders and Denver Broncos the veteran corner joined the Ravens on a 1-year deal for the 2023 season.
Darby became a critical component of the 2023 season with the lingering injuries that Humphrey dealt with this season.
Pro Football Focus graded Darby 70.8, which ranked him 36 out of 127 corners and top amongst the Ravens corners. If the Ravens were to move on from Humphrey, they may look to bring back the veteran on an affordable contract.
Ballentine pointed out, “There are some concerns that will likely depress Darby’s market. He’s 30 years old, and he’s had two ACL tears in his career.” Though Ballentine went on to say none of this effected the corner this season, it could help the Ravens or other teams negotiate a smaller contract.
Ballentine wrote, “The veteran has elite speed and didn’t show signs of slowing down last season. If he stays healthy, he should outperform whatever contract he’s likely to receive based on his age and injury history.”
OverTheCap currently projects the Ravens with $7.3 million in cap space, with a multitude of free agents to address, so signing the veteran to be a third/fourth corner may be a luxury the Ravens cannot afford.
Vikings and Lions Could Pay-up for Ronald Darby’s Services
While the Ravens had a top passing defense, even with the injuries they dealt with, the same could not be said for NFC North’s Vikings and Lions.
Ballentine wrote, “The Minnesota Vikings gave up a passer rating of 95.2 as a team last season and have a young secondary.” Pro Football Reference ranked the Vikings’ pass defense as 24th in passing yards allowed.
Starters Byron Murphy and Akayleb Evans are 26 and 24 years old respectively, and Ballentine advised, “An experienced vet like Darby would make a lot of sense for them.”
Their division rivals, the Lions, should also be interested as Pro Football Reference ranked them 27th in passing yards allowed.
Ballentine wrote, “Their NFC North counterpart Detroit Lions should be interested, too. They should be looking to improve their secondary after competing for a Super Bowl berth last season.”
The Lions came up just short when they lost the NFC Championship game against the San Francisco 49ers after holding a 24-7 halftime lead. Their focus should be on improving the defense after getting outscored 27-7 in the second half.
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