3. Chris Westry, CB, Ravens
Chris Westry entered the summer as somewhat of a longshot to make the 53-man roster. Signed to a futures contract in January, Westry has played in just two career NFL games and been on the field for a total of nine defensive snaps.
In a crowded cornerback room, it was hard to see Westry earning a roster spot. But he put together such a strong performance this summer that the Ravens traded away fifth-round rookie Shaun Wade just to keep Westry around.
That’s right, a former undrafted free agent on his second NFL franchise with little-to-no professional experience to speak of beat out a player the Ravens drafted in the fifth round just a few months prior.
And it’s not as if Wade had a bad summer either. Westry was just better.
Now, the 6-foot-4 physical specimen will be asked to play a greater role than he could have ever envisioned. While Westry won’t be relied on as a starter, he could see some defensive snaps with Peters out.
Those snaps could come as soon as Week 1 as, with Jimmy Smith (more on him momentarily) likely sidelined, Westry might slot in as the team’s fourth cornerback in dime packages.
And if one more Ravens cornerback goes down with an injury, Westry could even push for a starting role. That’s quite the climb for a player who was considered little more than a roster hopeful just a couple of months ago.
The Ravens loved what they saw from Chris Westry this summer. Now, he might have the chance to reward the team for their trust.