So it begins: what will feel like seemingly endless weeks of discussing how the Baltimore Ravens can fix their multitude of issues in the secondary, particularly at cornerback.
A 2014 season in which the cornerback group struggled culminated with a complete breakdown against the New England Patriots in the Divisional Round of the playoffs. Rarely getting beat deep, the cornerbacks and even safeties struggled mightily to play the short game, allowing easy catches and plenty of yards after the catch.
Looking ahead to 2015, changes must be made in order to solidify an ailing unit which held back a rather talented 2014 Ravens roster. At cornerback specifically, the only true “known” is Jimmy Smith, who is coming off an injury and entering the final season of his rookie contract.
Prior to a season-ending foot injury, Smith proved himself as one of the NFL’s premier young cornerbacks. If he returns 100% from injury, the first domino will fall. After Smith comes plenty of unknowns.
The Ravens have veteran Lardarius Webb under contract through 2017, but his cap hit of $12 million in 2015 seems like an overly steep price for a declining player who will turn 30 in October. It seems like a good bet he will be with the team next season, but it is doubtful he remains with the team for the duration of his contract, making it necessary to start grooming potential replacements.
[RELATED: 2014 Final Grades – Secondary]
Baltimore also has youngsters Asa Jackson and Tramain Jacobs under contract for next season; however, they are not necessarily players who have enough talent to affect the organization’s offseason decisions at the position.
Notable free agents include Anthony Levine, Rashaan Melvin and Danny Gorrer, all of whom would be worthy players to welcome back, particularly Levine and Melvin on minimal deals.
Overall, though, not an overwhelming bunch outside of Smith, and who knows how Smith will perform post-injury?
Changes will be made, and given Baltimore’s tendencies not to be big spenders in free agency, the draft is a prime opportunity to add some young, promising talent to the cornerback crop.
Baltimore could potentially look to improve at CB as early as their first-round pick (26th overall). As always, the team’s “best player available” mentality trumps reaching for a positional need, but if a cornerback is near the top of the front office’s draft board in the early rounds, it would make sense to pull the trigger.
Who are some early-round candidates worthy of Baltimore’s consideration?
Trae Waynes, Michigan State
A wishful thinking of sorts, as it is a long shot that the redshirt junior makes his way to the 26th pick in the draft. Waynes – a lengthy press corner – has the ideal traits to be a quality starting cornerback in any defense in the NFL. His hip fluidity, effortless movement and instincts give him the tools to succeed.
While a press corner by nature, Waynes’ man coverage ability will be hampered by the fact he is not dominant at the line of scrimmage when it comes to jamming receivers. Overall, he is a player who is tough to gain separation on, reacts and closes in on receivers well and can adjust his hips and feet to react to sudden movements.
Waynes will be a quality NFL cornerback, but likely for a team selecting higher than the Ravens in the first round. Still, his going before the Ravens select is not a complete guarantee, leaving him available as an option.
Marcus Peters, Washington
Talk about a wild card in this year’s draft. Peters is an athletic, imposing, violent, consistent cornerback who offers more than enough desirable aspects to buy into him as a potential top-tier starter in the NFL. His rare closing speed, aggressive playing style and ability to ride the backs of receivers all over the field make him the ideal press, man coverage corner in the NFL.
So why is he even in consideration for a team selecting at the end of the first round?
Well, Peters was kicked off the Washington Huskies football team in November 2014 for an accumulation of wrongdoings. At the time, Washington head coach Chris Petersen said, “it’s never one thing. We’re not going to dismiss a guy because it’s one thing.” Disagreements with the coaching staff – which likely escalated beyond simple verbal differences of opinion given the magnitude of his discipline – ultimately doomed Peters, leaving a major red flag by his name as he moves on to the NFL.
Talent wise, Peters is a top-10 pick. But how bad will his mistakes at Washington affect his draft stock? Maybe his talent will trump the issues, or maybe some teams will take him off their draft boards. The unknown factor leads to plenty of uncertainty of where Peters will be drafted, keeping the Ravens in play.
P.J. Williams, Florida State
Another young press cornerback who will likely intrigue teams is Williams, a standout in Florida State’s high-pedigree defense. He works well one-on-one in coverage and often plays close to the line on receivers.
The physicality and stride-for-stride speed of Williams should be valuable assets as he makes the NFL jump, although deep speed could be an issue. Jamming receivers at the line of scrimmage will go a long way in compensating for that particular flaw. Williams has experience blitzing off the edge and is an aware player against the run with quality tackling ability.
Short area quickness often gets the best of him, but his recover-ability helps aid this negative of his game. Williams is not necessarily a plug-and-play starter, but does have starter upside and could be a solid man coverage cornerback if properly developed. Perhaps the upper half of the second round would be a good spot for Williams.
Quinten Rollins, Miami (Ohio)
While Peters is a wild card because of off-field issues, Rollins is a wild card because of minimal experience and background. The 2014 season was Rollins’ first year in college football after playing four years for Miami’s basketball team. He was no slouch on the hardwood either, as he led the MAC in steals during his senior year of basketball.
One year as a collegiate cornerback allowed Rollins to burst onto the scene, thanks in part to his athletic ability, upside and seven interceptions. While underdeveloped and inexperienced, the intrigue of Rollins’ long-term potential makes him a viable prospect.
The instincts, ball skills and tremendous tackling ability all favor Rollins as more of a safety than cornerback. His athleticism and tackling skills should make him a valuable special teamer as well, with his coverage ability giving him the flexibility to play either cornerback or safety at the next level. For a team such as the Ravens which is lacking in talent at both cornerback and safety, Rollins could be of value.
A likely day two selection, Rollins has the skill set of a third round pick; however, his upside could lead to teams giving him much higher grades.
