Ravens Should Keep, Not Trade, Star CB

With the way the Baltimore Ravens' offseason is shaping up, they could have some tough decisions to make in the near future.

Ronnie Stanley, who's been the team's franchise left tackle for almost a decade, is a free agent and may have priced himself out of Baltimore with a resurgence in 2024. Other veterans, such as star tight end Mark Andrews, may well be cut candidates due to a tight salary cap situation.

Then there's veteran cornerback Marlon Humphrey, who may be more likely to return than Stanley and others, but there's still some questions regarding his future.

Humphrey, 29, has no guaranteed money remaining on his current deal, which runs through 2027. Considering the former first-round pick is coming off arguably the best year of his career, recording a career-high six interceptions and his first pick-six, he will rightfully want some more guaranteed money going forward.

Due to the Ravens being tight on cap space, as previously mentioned, some speculate that they could move on from their veteran corner. However, that doesn't seem like the best decision.

Think back to the first half of the season, when the Ravens' secondary was nothing short of atrocious. They were allowing almost 300 passing yards per game through Week 10, putting them on pace to become one of the worst pass defenses of the past decade.

Even in that dark period, Humphrey was still making an impact in more ways than one.

First, he could turn the tides instantly with a timely pick, such as when he had two interceptions against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 7 to help the Ravens climb out of an early 10-0 hole.

Second, he lit a fire under the Ravens' defense after they allowed 428 passing yards against the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 10, including 264 yards and three touchdowns to Ja'Marr Chase alone. Baltimore's defense improved significantly after that game, with Humphrey's comments undoubtedly playing a major part.

Humphrey is a huge component of the Ravens not only on the field, but in the locker room as well, and they'd dearly miss him in both areas if he leaves. They may have their hand forced due to cap constraints, but if there's a way to keep their veteran leader around, they should absolutely do so.