Cornerback is the one obvious arae of concern on defense for the Baltimore Ravens, so the franchise should go “bold” and “double up” with two new faces at the position, including adding Buffalo Bills starter Rasul Douglas in 2025 NFL free agency.
The idea comes from ESPN’s Aaron Schatz. He pointed out how “Free agent cornerback Brandon Stephens was the weak link in the 2024 Ravens’ secondary, so Baltimore can upgrade its defensive backfield by finding a solid veteran to play alongside Nate Wiggins and Marlon Humphrey.”
Douglas is one of the names Schatz thinks the Ravens should consider on the veteran market, despite a decline in his performances during 2024. As Schatz put it, “It’s important to note that cornerback metrics are very unstable from season to season, so veterans who struggled in 2024 could very easily bounce back in 2025. For example, Buffalo’s Rasul Douglas was third in my coverage DVOA metric in 2023 before dropping to 52nd in 2024. The Jets’ D.J. Reed went from 42nd in 2023 to 63rd in 2024. Both Douglas and Reed will be free agents this offseason.”
Signing Douglas would be just one part of the strategy. Schatz also thinks “Better yet, the Ravens should double up at the position. With so many good receivers among the top AFC contenders, it’s important to have depth in case of injury. The Ravens should use one of their early-round draft picks on a cornerback who can start fourth on the depth chart and move up as he improves.”
Committing so many team-building resources to one position would be beyond bold for the Ravens. Especially when general manager Eric DeCosta is hamstrung by limited space under the salary cap.
Rasul Douglas Helped Bills Land Ravens Fatal Blow
The Ravens have painful, recent experience of going up against Douglas. His hands smothered the onside kick that sealed a 27-25 win for the Bills in the AFC Divisional Playoffs that ended Baltimore’s season.
Seeing Douglas again so soon would bring back some painful memories, but the 30-year-old has merit as a handsy cover man who acquits himself well in zone. Schatz’s colleague Matt Bowen dubbed Douglas “an easy fit in a zone system that allows him to reroute underneath and attack the ball from the outside third of the field.”
This interception against the New England Patriots late in the 2023 season was a perfect example of what Bowen described. Douglas played off-coverage, read a slant pattern and broke on the ball, per Bowen.
Keen zone eyes and natural instincts make Douglas a true opportunist on the back end. Yet while his instincts fit the Bills’ system, the Ravens tend to play more man coverage.
The tendency fits what All-Pro Marlon Humphrey and 2024 first-round draft pick Nate Wiggins do best, but it didn’t always suit struggling starter Brandon Stephens. His erratic form can justify DeCosta using back-to-back first-round picks on cornerbacks.
Draft Plan Makes More Sense for Ravens at Cornerback
Douglas has a market value projected by Spotrac.com as $11.9 million annually for three years. That’s too rich for a Ravens team expected to have just $8,728,872 worth of cap space.
The numbers add up to the Ravens likely needing to go the draft route for cornerback help. Fortunately, there are intriguing prospects to consider.
Among them, Shavon Revel Jr. makes sense as a replacement for Stephens. Alternatively, Jahdae Barron might be just what the Ravens need.
The Texas standout “is a competitive nickel corner, which is essentially a starting role in today’s NFL. Look at the best teams this season and you will find that they all received great play in that role,” according to Josh Edwards of CBS Sports.
Barron and Revel are both within range of the Ravens, holders of the 27th pick in this year’s draft. Selecting one to play inside while Humphrey and Wiggins stay outside would bolster the cornerback room while leaving DeCosta free to also add to other areas of need, like the offensive line and edge-rusher.
That’s a no-frills recruitment plan, while the double up approach seems a little too ambitious.
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