Danny Gorrer would upgrade the Baltimore Ravens secondary
Oct 19, 2014; Detroit, MI, USA; New Orleans Saints running back Travaris Cadet (39) makes a catch while being defended by Detroit Lions defensive back Danny Gorrer (36) during the second quarter at Ford Field. Mandatory Credit: Andrew Weber-USA TODAY Sports
“Insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.” Attribution for this quote is hazy, but as the Baltimore Ravens seem poised to trot out the same terrible secondary week after week, it’s very relevant. Danny Gorrer, who was recently waived by the Detroit Lions, could help the Ravens overcome their insanity while offering an upgrade in the defensive backfield.
Fans may remember Gorrer from his brief stint in Baltimore, in which he played a limited role as an occasional dime back. He is probably best known for his strong performance in Week 4 of 2011, in which Gorrer played 26 reps for the Ravens and helped completely shut down the New York Jets’ passing game.
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Gorrer had played a relatively consistent role for the Detroit Lions this year, with 174 reps so far this season. He has excelled for the Lions’ excellent defense, helping lead the team to a fifth-place ranking in pass defense.
As a player, Danny Gorrer has excellent size at 6’0″ and 185 pounds and good speed as well, having run a 4.4 40-yard dash. He has played predominantly in the slot this season, where he has excelled with physicality at the line of scrimmage paired with great make-up speed. Though 28 years old, Gorrer still has some unrealized upside thanks to his physical ability and general lack of experience.
That said, Gorrer is a bit straight line-ish as an athlete and his backpedal is stiff. I could see Gorrer getting burned from time to time on deep routes because of these issues.
All in all, though, the Ravens need to make a change. Danny Gorrer has skills that neither Dominique Franks nor Chykie Brown have. His skill set would enable the Ravens to play more aggressive coverage because of his ability to jam receivers and speed to make up for mistakes, and that would help the Ravens’ pass rush get home more often.
In an ideal situation, Gorrer wouldn’t be a starter, but this is not an ideal situation. The Ravens’ secondary calls for desperate measures, and the Ravens could think of a lot worse solutions than the former Raven, Gorrer.