Baltimore Ravens Cut Will Hill: Breaking It All Down

The Details Unfolding:

According to a report by Jeff Zerbiec of the Baltimore Sun, the Baltimore Ravens have released Will Hill. The move comes as a bit of a surprise. Will Hill was supposed to pair with the newly acquired Eric Weddle to make a powerful combination at the safety position. This dream pairing is something we will never see.

From a business perspective, this makes a lot of sense. Shortly after he was released, Zerbiec tweeted that Hill was facing a suspension from the NFL. When he got cut, I thought his trouble was behind him. It was hard to take the news, until learning that his trouble was in fact not behind him. Before I could finish this article Adam Schefter and Chris Mortensen of ESPN reported that Hill had been suspended for 10 games. Wow. My thoughts on the move changed as more information came out.

The news isn’t good news from a football point of view, unless your name is Ladarius Webb or Kendrick Lewis. The safety position was crowded and we expected a player to be cut there. Strictly from a football perspective, the Ravens just cut their most talented safety not named Weddle. Hill was not the problem in the Ravens secondary. This move was the result of a broken promise. Hill promised to keep his head on straight and the Ravens rewarded him with a nice contract. Hill gets suspended and he’s understandably gone.

What Does This Mean For the Ravens?

The Ravens probably didn’t want to cut Hill. Weddle and Hill were perfect for each other in the back-end of the Ravens secondary. The Ravens didn’t really have a choice. Hill being suspended for the first 10 games of the upcoming season means that the Ravens were going to have to move on without him anyway. We pretty much know Weddle will be the strong safety. Who will play alongside Weddle?

It is Kendrick Lewis or Ladarius Webb. Neither is a perfect option but both could work.

Kendrick Lewis is the most athletic option. The problem is that Lewis had such a problematic season on the field. He was continually in the wrong spot at the wrong time. Lewis is fast though, with Weddle leading the way that can work.

The other option is Ladarius Webb. Webb moving to safety was always more of a project to justify his contract rather than a proven idea. Webb played safety in college and had some experience at the position last season. Webb is fast and he has ball skills. Webb is probably the best option. He’s a pro that the Ravens can trust in that role.

Next: 5 Reasons The Ravens Can Be Contenders

The Ravens gained a physical strong saftey in Weddle. He will roam all over the field and be a true nightmare for offensive coordinators and quarterbacks. Will Hill would have been a perfect complement to Weddle, but life moves on without him.