Marlon Humphrey gets extension: 3 big things to think about

3. Humphrey is worth every penny:

We’ve talked about the business sense of this move and how the Ravens couldn’t procrastinate here. We’ve also talked about how this move signals Humphrey is one of the most important players in Baltimore. The next thing we need to talk about is how satisfied the Ravens will be with Humphrey’s work. Judging by what he’s done so far, you’d have to think that the Ravens aren’t wasting a single penny here.

If you look at the receivers in the AFC North, Humphrey is the bane of their entrance into the box score. Odell Beckham Jr. has struggled against the Ravens in the past two years. In the season opener Beckham Jr. was targeted 10 times and he only had three grabs for 22 yards. In the first 2019 clash with the Browns, Beckham Jr. was targeted seven times and had two catches for 20 yards. In the second meeting, he had four receptions for 44 yards. Humphrey obviously has a huge fingerprint in the Ravens beating the Browns three of the last four times.

JuJu Smith-Schuster has trouble with Humphrey as well. Last year Smith-Schuster won the battle when he caught a long touchdown pass and Humphrey failed to dislodge the ball early in the game. Humphrey won the war. forcing a Smith-Schuster fumble that set up the game winning field goal in overtime. If you just look at the context of the AFC North, Humphrey is worth the money.

Humphrey has the ability to limit the production of receivers that hardly get limited in other match ups. He’s a shut down cornerback. In this generation of Ravens football, Humphrey is the next Chris McAlister. He’s a tough cornerback whose play is a defining feature of the Baltimore defense. The other thing you have to remember about Humphrey is that he’s a leader by example. You don’t have to worry about Humphrey in any facet. He has his head on straight and he’s one of the hardest working players wearing the purple and black.