Our staff reacts to the Ravens’ three-year deal with CB Kyle Arrington, announced Wednesday afternoon:
Arrington certainly upgrades the slot corner position for the Ravens, however you have to question why the Pats released him after losing Browner and Revis in FA earlier this offseason. ~ Brian Bower
Seems like a huge win to me for the Ravens. They need help in the secondary and Kyle Arrington will be a huge asset to them. But why did the Patriots release him? Was it really because of his $3 million cap hit, or is there something we don’t know? The Pats have lost a few secondary guys, so it seems odd. But we will take it at face value for now… and for now, it’s a huge win for the Ravens. ~ Joe Polek
Looks like a great slot corner pick-up for the Ravens. He’s also a great open field tackler and that should also benefit the run defense. I am a little concerned that the team that allowed its two starting corners leave in free agency cut Arrington. Arrington should not be considered as an outside corner if there is an injury to Jimmy Smith or Ladarius Webb. He really struggled defending receivers when he played as an outside corner. ~ Nadeem Kureishy
One mans trash is another mans treasure. Arrington was PFF’s 36th ranked CB in 2014, and will be a nice addition the Ravens secondary.
Now the question remains: why did the Pats dump him to begin with? ~ Adam Bonaccorsi
I love this pick-up. I have no idea why the Patriots released him, but I’ve seen a player at least worthy of the #3 spot on a depth chart from what I’ve watched. Great, cheap move for a valuable part of a defense in this pass-heavy league. ~ Tyler Lombardi
Arrington is an ideal slot man that is at his best inside the numbers. The great thing about this move is that it enables Webb to stay outside the numbers in nickel packages. There was a time when Webb was an outstanding slot CB — remember the 2011 AFCC against Welker? With his change of direction not being what it used to be, he’s not as reliable in those situations. Keeping Webb outside with safety help could preserve his career. Meanwhile, as long as Arrington doesn’t have to slide outside too often (he was picked on at times when teams ran 4 and 5 wide sets), he should be solid in his cover duties. ~ Dev Panchwagh
The Ravens never replaced Corey Graham who was quietly instrumental in Baltimore’s Super Bowl run. Arrington is an experienced, productive slot corner who very well could be the final piece to the Ravens 2015 puzzle. This acquisition made too much sense not to get done. ~ Kyle Rate
Call me a pessimist, but something smells fishy here. On the surface this looks like a solid signing and provides necessary depth at a position where the Ravens have struggled. However, taking a step back, I can’t figure out why the Pats would let Arrington go. I hope it was only a salary dump and the Ravens have reaped the reward, but I’m not sold on that yet. ~ Andrew Kordula
To borrow from Ozzie, “You can’t have enough good corners.” Kyle Arrington isn’t the end-all-be-all but it does provide quality, experienced depth. He can also be used as a cover safety, particularly if Tray Walker can provide competency in 2015.
No matter how you look at it, the Ravens got better. And for those questioning the Patriots motives by cutting him, think of some quality defenders jettisoned by other teams that gave the Ravens solid years of service: Trevor Pryce, Cory Redding, Corey Graham, James Ihedigbo and Vonte Leach come to mind.
Look for the secondary to make the positive strides in 2015 that the O-Line experienced in 2014. ~ Tony Lombardi
Webb has been prone to injury and we don’t want to see any of the other Ravens corners (or *uggh* Elam) playing the slot, but I see this as primarily a depth move. I’d still like to see Webb inside on the nickel where his pass-rush flexibility has been valuable. Arrington and Webb are only 10 months apart in age. This definitely means watching some of Arrington’s slot play from last season is in order. ~ Ken McKusick
The Ravens learned the hard way last year that not having enough quality corners can literally end your season. It wisely wasn’t a risk they were prepared to take again. This could be considered the biggest move of their offseason and now they have no glaring needs going into the season assuming everyone stays healthy. Huge pickup and bolster to the Ravens roster. ~ Ryan Jones
If Arrington is going to primarily be a slot corner, where will Webb play? It seems like a good move and one Baltimore had to pursue and make, but I’d like to reserve judgement until I see him gel with Baltimore’s secondary as a whole. ~ Mike Fast
