Ravens Secondary Sizzles During Hot Practice

Marlon Humphrey may be the only Ravens defensive back with more than three full years in Baltimore, but that hasn’t stopped the first-team secondary from jelling into an impressively cohesive unit this early in training camp.

Watching the secondary fly around the field gives off a sense of organized chaos, not dissimilar to the switch-heavy, positionless defenses that have taken root in the NBA. Everyone is always moving and anticipating not just where the ball is going next, but where the ball could go if the first option isn’t open.

There’s definitely some credit due to new defensive backs coach Dennard Wilson, who coached the Eagles secondary to some of the best numbers in the NFL over the past two seasons.

But two players – Humphrey and Marcus Williams – are operating on a different level right now, and whenever they share the field, the defense seems like they can control the practice at will.

Humphrey is a known quantity at this point – a technically-savvy, physical corner who can play in the slot or outside – but Williams feels like he’s elevated his game beyond the elite centerfield free safety that arrived in Baltimore last year. His anticipation and recognition of route concepts have him impacting plays in all parts of the field, no matter how far away he is when the ball is snapped.

The two of them form the backbone of what will be one of the NFL’s best secondaries: Humphrey as the one-on-one matchup defender who has the technique and physicality to cover almost anyone, and Williams as the space-eraser who can break up passes intended for any target in any part of the field.

Then, add in Kyle Hamilton as the uber-versatile defender who can rove in zone coverage or taking on the toughest size-speed matchups in the slot, and Rock Ya-Sin as the classic outside CB2 who can compete against almost any boundary receiver.

Those four players alone give coaches so many options for coverage alignments and assignments. Then, toss in Geno Stone, who feels like he’s good for at least one interception per week of practice, and Brandon Stephens, who can capably play any of the five main DB positions, and you’re really cooking. (Stephens’ versatility is somewhat underrated – his ability to cover most teams’ third or fourth receiving option is what allows the Ravens to deploy Hamilton and Humphrey however they want.)

But such versatility and flexibility also brings complication, which is why Humphrey and Williams have emphasized communication in press conferences and on the field.

The first-team secondary appears to be firing on all cylinders, often forcing the offense to take dump-offs to running backs and tight ends in the flat, with balls thrown over the middle of the field and down the sidelines almost always contested and often hitting the grass.

As expected, the second- and third-teams are bumpier in coverage and communication, but equally as aggressive and effective at the catch point with Ar’Darius Washington and Corey Mayfield Jr. among the depth DBs to get their hands on the ball today.

The Ravens definitely saw something in Washington when they signed him as an undrafted rookie in 2021, and he did enough to make the team as a rookie. Roster math relegated him to the practice squad last year, but he’s been a consistent performer out of the slot since May, with a series of PBUs and sacks on nickel blitzes. His size will dictate his usage and matchups, but Washington can certainly factor into Baltimore’s plans for the slot this year.

Jalyn Armour-Davis also had a solid practice, staying competitive in coverage and flashing the ability that has been hidden by injuries for so long. His history will always make health a concern, but there’s no doubt he has the physical talent to succeed in the NFL as long as he’s able to play.

Rookie Kyu Blu Kelly is still finding his footing in the NFL. It seems like he’s adjusting to Mike Macdonald’s match coverage schemes by giving up space in front of him rather than losing a receiver behind him. That’s obviously a good instinct in a defense that prioritizes preventing big plays, but he’ll need to gain some confidence and comfort in the team and scheme around him before he can get significant playing time.