The pass defense for the Baltimore Ravens faltered in 2024 for many reasons, but outside cornerback Brandon Stephens was a frequent culprit for the breakdowns in the team’s favorite coverage scheme.
Stephens faltered in Cover 3, the go-to call of defensive coordinator Zach Orr. He can continue leaning on three-deep coverage if the Ravens pull off a trade for seven-time Pro Bowler Jalen Ramsey.
It’s a bold idea from Gordon McGuinness of Pro Football Focus. He insisted he chose the best trade fits for the Miami Dolphins corner “based on fit, familiarity and financial flexibility,” but the Ravens only fit the first of those criteria.
Jalen Ramsey Trade Tricky for Ravens
Ramsey’s still playing at a high level, but that isn’t deterring the Dolphins from exploring a trade, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero.
The #Dolphins and seven-time Pro Bowl CB Jalen Ramsey are mutually set to explore trade options and it wouldn’t be a surprise if he played elsewhere in 2025, per me and @TomPelissero.
Miami and Ramsey, due $25.1M fully guaranteed this season, could be parting ways. pic.twitter.com/rfbNDcNL6m
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) April 15, 2025
Rapoport’s reference to Ramsey being “due $25.1M fully guaranteed this season” is an obvious reason to doubt the Ravens’ ability to engineer a deal. General manager Eric DeCosta has just $12,362,772 worth of space under the salary cap, according to Spotrac.com, but the Ravens could get creative to try and make room for Ramsey’s scheme fit.
The fit is based on how “Brandon Stephens struggled in 2024, earning just a 48.1 PFF coverage grade on 198 snaps in Cover-3 — Baltimore’s most-used coverage,” per McGuinness.
Staying tethered to Cover 3 isn’t exclusive to the Ravens. Not when “it happens to be where Ramsey has both played the most snaps (851) and earned his highest coverage grade (83.1) over the past three seasons.”
Acquiring Ramsey would give the Ravens a true shutdown presence outside the numbers. That would leave fellow All-Pro Marlon Humphrey to spend more time in the slot, where he does most of his best work.
Those things, along with Ramsey’s physical style and willingness to stand up to the run, are good reasons for the Ravens to give the Dolphins a call. Yet none of those factors alter the likely high cost of a trade, which would surely include sending premium draft picks to Miami.
It means DeCosta is still more likely to recruit new corners from the 2025 NFL draft.
Ravens Better Off Using Draft for CB Help
There are no shortage of draft-eligible cornerbacks who fit how the Ravens play defense. One who’s a probable Day 2 pick suits Orr’s other preference for Cover 1 calls.
Using second- or even third-round value on a defensive back would leave DeCosta free to address other positions in the first round. Namely, the defensive line, an area the GM has already made clear is his priority, per Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic.
DeCosta said the defensive line is a priority and this is a fairly deep DL class. “There’s an opportunity for us to get better.”
The Ravens can afford to wait before targeting a cornerback for two reasons. DeCosta has already reinforced the position during free agency, while the development of last season’s first-round pick Nate Wiggins also gives Orr’s defense a potential marquee upgrade over Stephens, who departed for the New York Jets.
Stephens’ exit is part of a minor but important shakeup of Baltimore’s secondary. A refresh that’s involved leaving Tre’Davious White, who only joined the team in a cheap trade last November, available in free agency.
Even without White, the secondary remains a front-loaded group, one top-heavy with the All-Pro talents of Humphrey and versatile safety Kyle Hamilton, but there are question marks across the rest of the depth chart.
Bringing Ramsey on board would skew the balance more to the elite level, but the cost involved, both in terms of trade package and contract, make this pie in the sky stuff for the Ravens.
