Baltimore Ravens: Secondary Still a Concern Following NFL Draft

The Baltimore Ravens have question marks throughout the secondary after declining Matt Elam’s fifth-year option and not addressing the cornerback position until late in the NFL Draft.

One of the Ravens biggest weaknesses entering this offseason was the play by their secondary. They are coming off a year in which they finished last in the NFL in interceptions with only six picks, yet the secondary was not the focal point of the 2016 NFL Draft. Instead, the Ravens placed an importance on adding to the pass rush.

They did sign Eric Weddle this offseason, and he should help improve the back end of the secondary. On that same day, Matt Elam, the Ravens top safety from last season, was released this offseason after being suspended for 10 games for violating the NFL’s substance abuse policy.

The Ravens announced today that they have declined the fifth-year option on Elam. The former Florida standout would have made over $5 million next season if the team picked up his option. The move was expected as Elam has been one of the biggest first-round busts in Ozzie Newsome‘s history as General Manager.

Ozzie did try to move up to No. 4 in the draft to land Florida State defensive back Jalen Ramsey, but the Dallas Cowboys declined a trade to move the Ravens up two spots. They took Notre Dame offensive tackle Ronnie Stanley with their top choice, and waited until the third day of the draft to add two defensive backs to the roster.

Tavon Young was Baltimore’s first pick in the fourth round, but is limited in where he will play in the NFL. At 5-foot-9, he does not have the size to play on the outside against the bigger receivers in the league. He will be used as a nickel corner to cover smaller slot receivers, and has a knack for getting his hands on the ball. That’s something the Ravens desperately need from their cornerbacks.

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The team used their last pick on Virginia cornerback Maurice Canady, who fits the bill of what the Ravens are looking for at corner. He has the size (6-foot-1) that Dean Pees wants in his corners, and could also contribute in the return game.

With that said, neither is expected to be an instant starter in the secondary, and that was the Ravens weakness. Instead, it looks as though they will enter the season with Shareece Wright or Will Davis will be given a shot to earn the starting role opposite Jimmy Smith.

The Ravens will tell us that the secondary played like a top-10 unit down the stretch in 2015, but those of us who watched the team know that they were picked apart on a regular basis. Russell Wilson picked apart the secondary. Even journeyman Josh McCown put up career numbers against Baltimore’s woeful secondary.

By not making any significant move other than Weddle, the secondary remains the same as last season. Weddle and Webb are both over 30, and there is no future behind them with Elam to be a free agent after this season. The only sure thing at cornerback on this roster is Smith. A healthy Smith is one of the best corners in the league, but health has been a concern for Smith and the entire Ravens team.

Webb will work in the slot quite a bit, but they must be expecting more out of Wright and Davis than we saw last season. Wright looked awful at times last season, and the ultimate low blow was watching Torrey Smith run past him for a touchdown.

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Ozzie must feel that by addressing the pass rush in the draft, it will take some pressure off the secondary. It will help, but it is still the same group of guys that failed to impress a season ago. Unless the Ravens can land a free agent that’s let go after June 1 cuts start to come about, it could be another long season of watching the secondary get beat.

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