The Baltimore Ravens will look to add depth to a talented secondary. Defensive back Ar’Darius Washington suffered a torn achilles in offseason workouts. The injury to Washington sparks questions about the defending AFC North champions and their offseason moves.
Baltimore Ravens Defensive Back Room Questions May Have Answers
Next Man Up For The Ravens
Washington played a key role in the Ravens’ secondary alongside standout defensive back Kyle Hamilton. Washington’s presence allowed Hamilton to play more freely around the field. Hamilton took snaps from free safety, slot cornerback, and even the line of scrimmage.
Baltimore may implement the “next man up” mentality sooner than expected. The Ravens may look to their young players to fill the shoes before the start of the 2025-26 season.
The Ravens made a significant selection in the 2025 NFL Draft, taking safety Malaki Starks in the first round with the 27th overall pick. Starks was a premier defensive back for the Georgia Bulldogs.
In his final collegiate season, he tallied 77 tackles, 25 assists, and was named AP First Team All-SEC. Starks joins a talented secondary featuring All-Pro cornerback Marlon Humphrey, second-year cornerback Nate Wiggins, and second-year safeties Sanoussi Kane and Beau Brade.
Filling Big Shoes
Kane and Brade saw most of their action in the preseason and on special teams, but the Ravens will have minicamp, training camp, and organized team activities to develop their role player for their secondary.
According to Pro Football Focus, Kane did not allow a reception on 30 covered snaps in last year’s preseason. He is a former seventh-round pick from Purdue University, who was notorious for his big plays and big hits.
Brade went undrafted out of the University of Maryland. The former Terrapin was a healthy scratch for a series of regular-season games and was inactive for both playoff games.
Brade was most effective for the Ravens in the preseason, as he led the team in total tackles. The Ravens franchise has been built on defensive chess pieces since the early 2000s. Legendary players such as middle linebacker Ray Lewis, outside linebacker Terrell Suggs, and free safety Ed Reed set the bar high for all incoming Ravens.
Options In Free Agency?
With the loss of Washington, for now, the Ravens could look into free agency as well. Baltimore could target many veteran safeties, such as former Denver Bronco safety Justin Simmons.
Second-year defensive coordinator and former NFL linebacker Zach Orr will have a plate full of decisions to make this offseason, especially for the secondary. A versatile Hamilton in place opens up more possibilities and may be a security blanket for the Baltimore front office.
The Ravens’ defense is known for its resilience. Notable players such as linebacker Roquan Smith, defensive tackle Nnamdi Madubuike, and Humphrey ease the pressure on the secondary.
There is no way around the hardship of the NFL. Injuries will come and go, but the league will continue to flow. Healthy or not, the Ravens will be back in Orchard Park, New York, for a week one showdown against the Buffalo Bills.
The Bills ended Baltimore’s season in late January. However, this matchup may turn heads due to the face-off between two former NFL MVPs in Lamar Jackson and Josh Allen.
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