Concern: Cornerback

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1:04I highly recommend it to people. But Ashwin, though, let's let you frame this up in terms of where your concerns lie with this cornerback group. Yeah, for sure. So let me, I guess, start by kind of lay in the ground here. So I think that if the season goes the way that many of us are fans are expecting, hopefully the corner shouldn't be an issue. And certainly with the improvements you've made, not only on the coaching staff, but on the defensive line, the past rush as well. I'm very optimistic about the cornerback room improving, but just looking through the radar or through the roster, excuse me, in a vacuum, I do still have a few concerns about just the readiness of the room and depth that I love to just kind of chat about that very briefly. Sure. Well, fair enough. And obviously, Marlon Hupfri had a very poor year last year. That's not a shock to anybody and worst year of his career finished dead last and coverage score by PFF. He's trying to, he did have a bunch of injuries last year. So to be fair, you know, he didn't have everything put together. He still had four picks. So we saw some of the, the ball skills were still there.

2:05But I understand this. And I think that's the, how I'm looking to frame up these episodes is that almost everybody that comes on the show, particular this year is very optimistic about the Ravens chances to go far. So you're looking for where could be the little trip wires that could get this team and not that, oh my God, they don't have anybody here. And we just went through the process of the, the claiming process for players who were cut by other teams. The Miami Dolphins selected seven total players who were cut by other teams. I wouldn't, I can't even imagine being in the position where you could find seven spots on your roster to fill from other people's cuts at that point. Their position is completely different in the season. Right. I can't, I mean, having seven spare roster spots in the other day for folks to claim it's just ludicrous to me. But Dolphins are also in a very different position than we are. They're a team that's definitely rebuilding and trying to really figure out their identity with the new coaching, it's having a new quarterback.

3:06Yeah, absolutely. So okay, let's go back to the cornerbacks. Who do you want to start with? Yeah, I guess we can start at the top of the roster. Nate Wagens, I think the first one. I think a lot of us have a lot of hopes riding on Nate Wagens. He's a first round pick. Had a great pedigree come out to Clemson going into year three. He's the guy that made, I think a pretty good jump from his rookie year to a second year. And my hope is he'll be, he'll end up keep developing tonight, lockdown corner. I'll expect to be at the cornerback one position. I do still have, I think, some concerns about his readiness. You know, he had pretty decent yardage metrics last year. But I think, and I remember seeing a metric that suggested that he was on, really if you took the whole season for yards, a lot in coverage in 25. I think he was actually allowed the second most yards at 810, which is not the bear of confidence I was hoping for. But I'm still pretty optimistic he can make it that jump into that walk down corner year three.

4:06My concern really lies in the fact that he is our number one corner. You know, how is he going to fair up against the likes of a Jemard Chase or DK McCap and all the folks we see in the AFC? So one of the questions about Humphrey is, will he travel again this year or will they go back to more set sides, which has been the Ravens way for a long time? In the middle of last year, he asked to travel, which should have heard his statistics. I've actually got him for better stats than that than that one see and from what you're saying. But that's often the nature of coverage statistics is that they particularly in zone that an underneath defender might be credited with that same target. So there are going to be differences definitionally between various places. But I thought that one of the things that that should legitimately have heard his metrics was the fact that he had asked to have this increased role at mid season. And then if you're looking for another mitigating factor, I'll just toss this out now. He had the the grain surgery. He's made the point that he doesn't really think he's been right since high school. Don't know what to take about that, but I would expect if anything, it should be a positive.

5:11Yeah, I mean, the growing surgery things have been interesting to me in the sense that's, you know, the, I think a big elephant room question is if this growing injury is a problem since high school, why are we just getting it taken care of now? You're three entries broke career, right? So I'm trying to table that aspect for now just because I'm not entirely sure how to affect him, but I think in the most charitable scenario, it can't hurt him, right? So my hope is if he does indeed travel with the opposing number one this year, which is a tall order for any cornerback. I my hope is at least he continues the same level play he did last year. I think out of all the corners in our roster, I'm definitely the most optimistic about him. Okay. All right, me too. So who would you like to talk about next? I think we can go down the roster, talk about Marlon Humphrey next. Marlon, it makes me sad to say because I mean, he's been on the team since 2017. He embodies what it's like to be a raven and he is synonymous with the ball that he has defense to me. The same way Lamar Jackson is similar like to face the franchise, it feels like there's no ravens about Marlon Humphrey back there locking down the corner.

6:19But I think the health in the room here is that he definitely lost that last year. He I think really looked lost and coverage. It looked like he was slow. You know, the mental game is still obviously there, but he just didn't look like the same lock down corner. He expected him to be over the last few years. Now, Harpries on the wrong side of 30. He definitely looks like his lost a stat athletically, at least. I know there is talk over the offseason, swishing with safety, which ultimately didn't happen. My concern with him is essentially, do we kind of have him play on the boundary again? Do we have him play more inside? And if, you know, is he able to still have that same level of play that we expect from him? Or is he going to be a liability on the field, which I think he was at all a lot last year? So one part of your question there, I'm not even sure that there's a spot for him inside. He could be a guy who kicks inside on third down, but you look at the way the ravens roster is constructed. And we're going to get to Keon Martin and Chandler Rivers, but they have two guys who are pretty natural slot corners,

7:21one who played there significantly last year in Martin. And, you know, all of those guys, you know, if you, if you end up playing 25% dime, big nickel or base on everything else, then you'd expect that, you know, we'd have Kyle Hamilton in the slot, only about 25% of staffs would be available for any slot corner, which makes the possibility of using a highly paid player like Humphrey there, regularly a very limited role. Right. And it brings up kind of an interesting question of whether or not Humphrey should have been on this team this year in 26, given the salaries commanding. I think the way our roster is constructed and quite frankly, what the needs we had at other positions, I think we're almost mandated to keep Humphrey in the roster just for experience alone. And the fact that, you know, if he plays at the way he did even two years ago in 24, he's a very, very valuable addition to the roster. I'm just, I do have some concerns you'll be able to get back to that form, but I think in the best case scenario, having him available like he was a couple of years ago,

8:23would be amazing for this team. Yeah, that's that I think underscores like the wide range of potential outcomes for Marlon Humphrey. It was just two years ago, he was AP one. And this last year, he's the worst coverage grade by PFF. So if you're looking for, you know, the range of outcomes for a player, man, I am, I don't think he'll rebound all the way, but even if you were to recover, you know, 60 to 75% of the way he could be a very valuable player. Right. And I think the big thing about him is also remembering that even if he's lost a step just from an athletic standpoint, which at age 30, I'd expect until he's always been an extremely cerebral player, like incredibly good in film study. He's the kind of player that I would love to be coaching guys like Wiggins, the young guys Martin, Rivers, etc. I think adding that to both Minter just kind of writing a show, but as well as Mickins being his new TV's coach, I think there is a really interesting potential there that he would continue to even get better than he is at the mental game and be able to offset

9:24some of his new deficiencies from his physical attributes. Yeah, good chance. I mean, I think along those lines in what terms or what you mentioned, I think one of the interesting things that Marlon Humphrey can do is he could be a big part of how they want to deceive on a pre-snap basis, which by the way, he can probably do more of that if he's in the slot than on the outside. But if you want him on the outside to be showing something other than he's doing, Marlon Humphrey is an outstanding guy who can understand how to pull the strings on a opposing quarterback who's having trouble deciding how he wants to change that play at the lattice scrimmage. I think that's a, you know, the Ravens and Minter have talked about wanting to dominate the pre-snap environment, wanting to, you know, both sides of the ball, they want to get their fast and then get their playoff, get their changes in on offense, but on defense, they want to continue to put pressure on their opponents too in terms of not showing them exactly what they're doing. I think Humphrey could be a big part of that. Yeah, I know this is a concern, Cheryl, but I think it's always, it's hard not to be excited about the amount of pre-snap deception we can use between him

10:29and Kyle Hamilton, who is counter-common to smartest players. I've ever seen on a football field. Coupled with obviously Mickens, his reputation from Notre Dame as a defense guru. There's a lot of fun potential that can be done there just from like a head game's pre-staff standpoints that I'm really hoping can offset maybe some of his issues with the athletic side of things now. Right. Well, I'm with you and I think that the time is probably still coming from Marlon Humphrey to move to safety. I just don't know if he's going to be doing it with the Ravens. The timing is not ideal because he's in a last year of his contract right now. And the ideal time to move to safety would be either this year or next year. Probably this year, honestly, to be able to give the Ravens the confidence that, you can sign him Marlon Humphrey for another year. But maybe next year, maybe if he has a, you know, middleing year at corner, but the indications are all still there that he should be moving to safety. That might be a time where the Ravens would be willing to do it, but they're going to have three safeties next year under contract. It'll probably still be the strongest position on the roster with Starks and Hamilton,

11:30both there and Jaylen as a third. So it's, it's, it's going to be more difficult next year. And I'm afraid he may end up playing for Seattle or the New York Giants or another team around the league. I have the exact same fear and it's, I think just my side of the middle side coming out, but it just would feel very strange to see a Ravens defense without the waiting for him back there. But I mean, he told us himself. He sees himself ending his career at safety. I think he has the tools that he would excel at safety. I, you know, copates in the Ravens uniform, but we'll kind of see how things unfold next year. Yeah. And with the older guys and we'll transition to the next one. It's obviously true of Humphrey. There is some significant injury risk. I think with Wiggins, there's probably more injury risk than the typical corner of his age because his frame is so elfin. I guess I would say that if in the case of a Wusia, he's had a long rap sheet at rap sheets around work. It's indicates that he's his fault. He's had a long career with, it is first with some injuries, did have a great year last year.

12:33Yeah, Wusia, he also, I think worries me slightly in the sense that, yeah, he has had this injury history in the past. He's also on the wrong side, 30. He's 31 now. He had a really phenomenal year last year and really was one of the biggest surprises, I'm positive surprises on team for me last year. I think if he can stay healthy that he should be a very, very, valuable asset, he's proved we can play outside. I think outside that really one poor rap he had against the Steelers at the end of the season, he really looked quite good on the outside. But obviously the injury concerns making a big if and, you know, compounded by the fact that he is getting up there in age. You know, but my hope is that he'll continue to play at the same level. I think this is always a bit of a, always a bit of a gamble with our one year players, outside of 30. Okay. Now I'm with you on that. I think there's a, there's certainly risk there. TJ Tampa, the number four cornerback has been one of the really impressive players in both camp and the preseason. Would you be concerned if he was a guy who came in or would you have different concerns?

13:36I would be a little concerned just by the fact that he, again, is a number four corner. He's still pretty unproven. I mean, he looked, I think, reasonable last year. A biometric sounds like he's an outstanding summer and know there's a report saying that teams are actually looking to train for him and the Ravens had no. So he's a guy that I'd be excited to see what he can do, but I would be lying if I said it wouldn't make me a little bit nervous to have him thrust into a starting role of due to injury. Yeah, the Ravens originally got TJ Tampa in the draft because the 45940, and if you really look at corners, it's in those 450s, every .01 in the 450s matters. You don't, you don't want to be slower than you're opposing receivers. That said, Minter and Mickens both have the reputation of being able to get value out of zone corners who are potentially a little slower. And that could be the case, I think with Tampa. Tampa, extremely physical as well. So you get a nice dividend from that.

14:38Right, and I think he almost mirrors Hamilton to a much lesser degree to a player that looked pretty good in college. I think he had a second round grade on him just from Dr. Cargge Metrics. See Mike, he fell on the draft a couple years ago just due to speed limitations like he mentioned. And I think the interesting part about this is Minter last year with LLN. You know, please fact me, fact check me on this, but I don't remember there being a day one, or even a day two pick at corner for the chargers last year, like within the first couple of guys. No, they're well known or it's been discussed at length that they really made a lot out of a little in that charger secondary last year. And he also, I think Minter has talked about this this summer, not that his specific comment means anything. He was asked about rotation at corner back with the chargers and he said, well, we didn't really have that guy and I'm paraphrasing. But that's, you know, to your point, you know, if you can kind of do some mixing and matching, also gives you a chance to find the hot hand. If you've got four guys who are rotating,

15:39get some play. Also, you're doing a little more self scouting when you do that. So you can figure out for next year what you've got. And that's something, by the way, could be very valuable to this Raven's team with some of the younger corners they have. Yeah, I think like the bottom three guys in the roster with Tampa, Martin and River. I mean, there's an interesting capability here with if Minter is comfortable kind of rotating these guys in and out to see where kind of where they fly, hopefully raising their floor, it gives us a good opportunity to kind of see what we have for kind of future. Like you mentioned. Yeah, one concern that I have that I'm not over yet. I can't, I can't hand wave this one away is that I don't think Marlon Huffer's going to be here next year. I don't think should O.B. O'ousia is going to be here either. And that means you have to replace two corners. You've got you had four or three young outside corners in Belalcone who's still around. He's on IR right now. And then Robert Longer, Benjamin Marquis Robinson, who are not around because they've gotten not one of them got not added to the practice squad in Robinson. And the

16:43other one got poached by the Eagles. I think the Ravens really wanted it back, but the Eagles took him. That should give you an idea that he's probably pretty good. And then they, you know, they don't have another cornerback that is a developmental guy in the roster. They have a money or a worry there who is a kind of a special team's replacement. Get you through a couple games if he needs you, but the Ravens own no part of his future. I mean, he's a free agent at the end of the year. So, they don't have the developmental guy on the practice squad like they did with Robinson last year. Right. And I think it would give this team a lot of value with TG Tampa can show us something. This year, that would make us feel confident maybe having CB2 if we're lucky. But I think there is a very strong possibility, even a probability. I'd say that I'd be looking for a corner in the first two rounds next year. Yeah. I'm with you. By the way, if you didn't hear Ashwin on draft night, one of the really good people to have on for the draft show, I hope you'll be able to join us again next year. So that takes us to the, that was a lot of fun. It takes us through to

17:44the bottom of the roster. I think any other overarching concerns or scheme concerns about the position? I don't think so. I'm putting a lot of my faith here in both Mintyr and Mickens. I think ultimately between what those guys did in LA and Notre Dame. I'm hoping the floors race to a point where hopefully none of my concerns actually come to fruition. But certainly, I think the health and age of at least Humphrey and Ewhuzie definitely does give me some pause. But you know, I think there's still a lot of refreshments in here. Right. All right. Good talent. Now, I'll ask you to put a number on it. And, you know, let's say the safety group, I don't want to even put the number you, I'm going to tell you my number of the safety groups, probably a nine, let's say in terms of my confidence in that group, it's just it's extremely high. What would be your your zero to 10 confidence level on that cornerback group? On the corner group, I think I give it about a six. I think more likely than not things will be fine. Just from the perspective of Wiggins is a young guy that has a lot

18:49of potential that's been growing every year. And I think the day, even though he's lost step Marlon is still an extremely silver player that I think will help us a lot in the back end, both in a corner standpoint, but almost even from like being a coach on the field in real time. But I think there are some concerns that remain regarding age and just injury risk. Okay. I think that that's very reasonable number. I was going to say maybe five, five and a half with the extra half point being midter and Mickens impact on the group and what he can get out of them. So I'm optimistic about that. But I've still got I've still got concerns about that group and a big fear in 27 about how they're going to have to rebuild it. But with several positions, apparently needing rebuilds, it inside linebacker on the defensive line is a potential for a massive rebuild. So that is not easy to pull off in one year. The Ravens learned that kind of this year. I think at the tight end position with what they had to do in the notion of having you know, go into the draft with three like that kind of scares me. You know, I agree wholeheartedly with you. I mean, hopefully this season goes

19:49away. We're expecting. But the 27 off season is going to be really interesting to see how they handle all this. Certainly the Lamar extension is kind of the big domino that's going to push everything from there. Yeah. Okay. With you all the way. All right, Ashwin. Fantastic. Thanks for joining us. Any any way people can contact you online to talk football or include you in a conversation or should they just jump on on Reddit and you're there and and coveting. Yeah. Yeah. The thing I like about the Reddit community is the fact that really anyone can contribute and it's also interesting very free form discussion. By handle on there is a ready 20 that's a R E D D I 2 0. But shoot me a DM find me on the on the Reddit subreddit or the Raven subreddit and we'll talk some football. All right. That sounds like it sounds like homage to Ed Reid. I'm guessing in the 20 there. Absolutely. Very good. Other folks out there, please continue to use film study mailbag at gmail.com. We got an overwhelming number of questions. So we're probably going to do one mailbag show per week. If you specifically want your question to be on Friday morning GM, which I

20:53know a lot of you do, make sure you just label that or say, you know, hi Ken and Voss or just say, hey, this is for Friday morning GM anything like that. We'll keep it on that show. Otherwise, I'll put it around to an appropriate show or invite you on for a show directly and I really appreciate all your questions. Ashwin, thanks again for coming on. Cool. Thank you so much, Ken. Appreciate your time. And we'll talk to you next time on film study.