The Baltimore Ravens would be wise to sign Malik Hooker this offseason. Hooker is a free agent from the Indianapolis Colts. Hooker missed most of the past season with an Achilles injury and he hasn’t quite lived up to being the 15th overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft. There’s a reason he’s available still, yet there is also a reason Baltimore should go get him.
The Baltimore Ravens have two strong safeties playing different roles. Chuck Clark and DeShon Elliott are very similar players and neither is a ballhawk. Hooker has three seasons with multiple interceptions and a career total of seven picks. Hooker has range and a skill-set that would give the Ravens something they don’t have.
Hooker may not break the bank and the Ravens haven’t stretched themselves too thin with any of their signings. The former Ohio State Buckeye defensive back is a player that had traits that got him drafted in the first round.
If healthy, those traits are still there. He’s been solid he just hasn’t been the game-changer Indianapolis was hoping for. It’s not like Hooker is the Colts’ version of Matt Elam. The Colts didn’t pick up his fifth-year option and he’s coming off an injury. That screams affordable defensive back.
The Ravens’ secondary is not one of their main concerns. When a secondary has Marlon Humphrey and Marcus Peters it’s hard to be doing too bad. The Ravens could always use more help with their defensive backs though. Jimmy Smith won’t play forever and is an injury-prone player. Speaking of injury-prone, Tavon Young is coming back from another season taking injury.
In the best-case scenario, Hooker becomes the starting free safety and adds to the Ravens’ takeaways. What if Hooker could be what the Ravens were hoping to get out of Earl Thomas? The Ravens would have three quality starters at safety. Clark and Elliott would be interchangeable and one could act almost like a linebacker in sub-packages.
Hooker could also be used in a variety of ways and would be an insurance policy for Smith and Young. This is a move that can’t hurt and would give Don Martindale more tools to play with.
We’re talking about a player who turns 25 in a few days. He’s got a ton of football left in the tank and he’s a former first-round pick. The Ravens should add him to the defense and hope that his first-round potential finally manifests itself in Baltimore. If the Ravens are the right spot for him it could foster an incredible athlete’s career rebound.
It makes more sense than drafting a defensive back in the fourth round and wanting him to make an immediate impact. There is a realistic range of expectations already established for Hooker.
The Bottom Line:
The Ravens’ biggest needs revolve around pass rushers and offensive linemen. That doesn’t mean that they can’t make other parts of the team better. Adding a young player who could end up being a long-term starter if it works out, that’s just common sense.
If Hooker is healthy his performance will probably prove to be valuable to the Ravens. The potential reward seems higher than the potential risk. This would be another practical signing in a very practical offseason.