Baltimore Ravens: 4 Best replacement scenarios for Earl Thomas
Stay in-house:
Staying in-house to replace Earl Thomas is the smartest and most likely move to happen for the Baltimore Ravens.
Baltimore has a plethora of secondary talent that can flex all over the alignment to make losing Thomas a little easier. It starts with Jimmy Smith, who was rumored to be flexed to safety at times this season thanks to the depth at cornerback. Smith is a great cover corner, so it’ll be a fun experiment to see come to fruition. There’s little doubt that Smith will get the first crack at the gig.
I personally am all in favor of flexing Tavon Young the way that the Ravens have discussed doing as much with Smith. I firmly believe that Baltimore should create a special role for Young. Young is just as rangy as Smith but has better ball skills. Young would look great in a slot safety role similar to that of a Tyrann Mathieu with the Kansas City Chiefs. Allowing Young to get creative with his play while placing him in a situation to succeed is the best of both worlds.
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Many fans will be clamoring for third-year man DeShon Elliott to finally become the guy he showed he could be back in college. Elliott has struggled to see the field due to health concerns and is thus the forbidden fruit that Ravens Flock yearns for. Elliott was a stud back in the day for the Texas Longhorns, notching nine interceptions in three seasons, including six as a junior. If Elliott is healthy, fans will finally get a chance to see if he can live up to the hype they’ve built for him.
The last guy in mind is 2020 seventh-round pick Geno Stone. Stone is a stud cover man who slipped in the draft due to a lack of well-rounded play and limited upside athletically. Stone nonetheless is a student of the game and a stud zone-coverage safety. If Baltimore is truly looking for an Earl Thomas replacement based solely around deep coverage, Stone might be your man.
The bottom line here is that the Ravens have plenty of guys already on the roster to help replace Earl Thomas for 2020. Beyond that is an uncertainty.