Ravens to Sign Rock Ya-Sin

[RavensfanRD]

Some other leaker said it'll be worth 6 million. Looks to be the end of the Juiceman era in Baltimore I'd say.

[coordinator0]

This can be it's own thread.

Solid move. Completely expected, but in a good way at least. This is how the secondary is shaping up after the draft (no UDFA included yet):

CB: Marlon Humphrey / Rock Ya-Sin / Brandon Stephens / Damarion Williams / Jalyn Armour-Davis / Kyu Blu Kelly / Thakarius Keyes / Daryl Worley / Trayvon Mullen / Kevon Seymour

S: Marcus Williams / Kyle Hamilton / Geno Stone / Ar'Darius Washington

There might be room for one more corner yet. I'm not sure I truly consider Stephens as taking up a spot there. 

[AngusMcFife]

Nice add. I think we should still invest in a starting quality nickel back.

I'd say the CBs who are guaranteed a roster spot are:

Humphries
Ya-Sin
Stephens

Then fighting for roster spots are:

Williams
Armour-Davis
Kelley
Worley
Seymour
Keys
Mullen

Along w/ CB, I'd like to add some depth at DLine as well from the FA market. 

[Ray Reed]

11 minutes ago, AngusMcFife said:

Nice add. I think we should still invest in a starting quality nickel back.

I'd say the CBs who are guaranteed a roster spot are:

Humphries
Ya-Sin
Stephens

Then fighting for roster spots are:

Williams
Armour-Davis
Kelley
Worley
Seymour
Keys
Mullen

Along w/ CB, I'd like to add some depth at DLine as well from the FA market. 

IMO Stephens shouldn’t be a roster lock.  He needs to earn it at outside corner. It’s pretty unheard of to cut a 3rd rounder going into year two, so he was definitely safe last year, but I don’t think the team is going to feel as tied to him now going into year 3.

With the safety depth we have now, he doesn’t have his rookie year excuse either of “well, who else will play safety if there’s an injury or two”.

And from what I’ve seen he hasn’t been nearly good enough at outside CB to earn a lock. I could easily see JAD and Kelly outplaying him this preseason and I really liked what I saw out of Worley at outside CB last year in his limited action.

[DreamKid]

16 minutes ago, AngusMcFife said:

I'd say the CBs who are guaranteed a roster spot are:

Humphries
Ya-Sin
Stephens

I will never understand why so many people mix up Humphrey with Humphries. 😅

Marlon is an All-Pro, and everyone from commentators to our own fans call him by the wrong last name.

[AngusMcFife]

3 minutes ago, Ray Reed said:

IMO Stephens shouldn’t be a roster lock.  He needs to earn it at outside corner. It’s pretty unheard of to cut a 3rd rounder going into year two, so he was definitely safe last year, but I don’t think the team is going to feel as tied to him now going into year 3.

With the safety depth we have now, he doesn’t have his rookie year excuse either of “well, who else will play safety if there’s an injury or two”.

And from what I’ve seen he hasn’t been nearly good enough at outside CB to earn a lock. I could easily see JAD and Kelly outplaying him this preseason and I really liked what I saw out of Worley at outside CB last year in his limited action.

I think Stephens was playing CB pretty well last year. Nothing great, but deserving enough of a spot, especially given his lack of experience. He played over 45% of defensive snaps for the 2022, i didn't see him as a liability. 

Just knowing the Harbaugh's MO, knowing how much Stephens played last year, especially on special teams, I feel like he'll be on the team. I could be wrong. But coaches like Harbaugh will value a guy who has proven to be competent in the regular season.

JAD was injured at Alabama and injured with the Ravens. Even if he flashes in preseason, are you ready to give him a roster spot over a dependable player given JAD has never proven to be healthy? 

[AngusMcFife]

14 minutes ago, DreamKid said:

I will never understand why so many people mix up Humphrey with Humphries. 😅

Marlon is an All-Pro, and everyone from commentators to our own fans call him by the wrong last name.

The school system failed me, what can I say? 

[Ray Reed]

1 minute ago, AngusMcFife said:

I think Stephens was playing CB pretty well last year. Nothing great, but deserving enough of a spot, especially given his lack of experience. He played over 45% of defensive snaps for the 2022, i didn't see him as a liability. 

Just knowing the Harbaugh's MO, knowing how much Stephens played last year, especially on special teams, I feel like he'll be on the team. I could be wrong. But coaches like Harbaugh will value a guy who has proven to be competent in the regular season.

JAD was injured at Alabama and injured with the Ravens. Even if he flashes in preseason, are you ready to give him a roster spot over a dependable player given JAD has never proven to be healthy? 

Agree to disagree about him not being a liability.

He was picked on everytime he was out there, and in some cases gave up entire scoring drives/games on his own (see: Jacksonville).

People remember 1 good play he made against Pickens in the EZ last year but forget the other 90% of the time when he was consistently getting beat out there.

I don’t have access to advanced statistics or sites so i’d be curious to see exactly how he fared via analytics, but i’ve watched football for a long time, and I don’t see it with that kid at all. He doesn’t have the hip fluidity for corner, and he rarely looks back for the ball.

[diamondbull424]

34 minutes ago, AngusMcFife said:

Nice add. I think we should still invest in a starting quality nickel back.

I'd say the CBs who are guaranteed a roster spot are:

Humphries
Ya-Sin
Stephens

Then fighting for roster spots are:

Williams
Armour-Davis
Kelley
Worley
Seymour
Keys
Mullen

Along w/ CB, I'd like to add some depth at DLine as well from the FA market. 

Disagree with Stephens as a guarantee, I’d go:
Locks- Humphrey, RYS
Likely- KBK, Williams, JAD, Stephens
Maybe- Worley, Mullen, Seymour, Keys


I think we likely carry 4 safeties and 7 corners, but could carry 5 safeties and 6 corners. So outside of injury I see 1 DB roster spot that’s really up for grabs. I think the guys in the likely slot would need to perform pretty bad to not make it, the other guys will likely be practice squad retentions.

We could use a veteran but I’d rather roll with what we have and only if an injury pops up or guys look pretty terrible would I go back to the veteran well.

[DreamKid]

4 minutes ago, Ray Reed said:

I don’t have access to advanced statistics or sites so i’d be curious to see exactly how he fared via analytics, but i’ve watched football for a long time, and I don’t see it with that kid at all. He doesn’t have the hip fluidity for corner, and he rarely looks back for the ball.

https://www.playerprofiler.com/nfl/brandon-stephens/ - Some coverage metrics here on Stephens.

[DreamKid]

I think the locks are:

Marlon Humphrey- All-Pro Marlo.

Rock Ya-Sin- Presumptive CB2.

JAD- Best recent CB prospect on the roster. Struggled last year when thrust into action and dealt with an injury but I expect him to bounce back strong.

Pepe Williams- They won't cut a 4th Round Pick in Year 2. He'll get another shot at SCB2.

Kyu Blu Kelly- Second best CB prospect on the roster after JAD.

 

That's five, and I see us carrying seven. Will be a dogfight for those final two spots, as it should be, and I wouldn't be surprised if we brought in another vet.

[Ray Reed]

2 minutes ago, DreamKid said:

https://www.playerprofiler.com/nfl/brandon-stephens/ - Some coverage metrics here on Stephens.

Beautiful, thank you.

Yeah…kind of backs up what i’ve been seeing out there lol

If he proves me wrong this year, awesome. But i’m not banking on that and certainly not willing to assign him roster-lock status based on what he’s done in this league so far 

[DreamKid]

 

[AngusMcFife]

3 hours ago, Ray Reed said:

Beautiful, thank you.

Yeah…kind of backs up what i’ve been seeing out there lol

If he proves me wrong this year, awesome. But i’m not banking on that and certainly not willing to assign him roster-lock status based on what he’s done in this league so far 

 

3 hours ago, DreamKid said:

https://www.playerprofiler.com/nfl/brandon-stephens/ - Some coverage metrics here on Stephens.

Maybe I'm reading the stats wrong but they seem pretty decent for Stephens. 89 passer rating against, which is the NFL average. Being an average CB on the 3rd year of a 3rd round pick seems like good value. Especially considering he was moved around, I don't know why you'd want to cut that player. Harbaugh is especially incentivized to keep him because he's a project player, if he is successful it is a feather in the cap of the coach for converting his position. 

I agree Pepe Williams looked decent, definitely quick. 

JAD I just haven't seen anything from, he was hurt in Alabama and now hurt with the Ravens. Not really impressive when on the field. He could be cut if he's injured/ineffective. 

Obviously if Kelley shows anything we'll keep him. But remember they did cut Ben Mason in his first year, he was a 5th round pick. It isn't out of the question to cut a 5th rounder. 

[DreamKid]

15 minutes ago, AngusMcFife said:

Obviously if Kelley shows anything we'll keep him. But remember they did cut Ben Mason in his first year, he was a 5th round pick. It isn't out of the question to cut a 5th rounder. 

Ben Mason was a horrible pick. We drafted a FB when we already had the best one in the league on the roster along with a stable of talented TEs. There was no path for him, and to top it off he joined the Pats' practice squad instead of ours. A total slap in the face to Harbaugh who had pounded the table for him. So that Mason selection is right up there with the Trace McSorley and Brandon Stephens head scratchers for me. 

Kyu is in a much different situation. We desperately needed another CB, and while he was picked in the 5th Round it was such a deep CB class that in another year he probably would go at least a round higher- and the FO has said as much. He's 21 YO, on a Rookie deal with 4 years remaining, can play outside, and has tons of experience(including against 1st Round WRs). So it's very hard for me to envision a scenario where he doesn't make the roster, unless of course he has some absolutely dumpster fire TC/Preseason- then anything is possible.