The hits just keep on coming for the Baltimore Ravens.
Following the losses of J.K. Dobbins and Justice Hill over the last two weeks, the Ravens were dealt two more serious blows on Thursday when it was revealed that both star cornerback Marcus Peters and running back Gus Edwards had suffered torn ACLs.
That now makes it four torn ACLs to key players on the Ravens’ roster in the past 12 days. This string of poor luck is almost unbelievable — but it’s reality.
While much of the conversation has been about what the Ravens will do at the running back position with Dobbins, Edwards, and Hill sidelined, the loss of Peters should not be overlooked.
Peters is arguably a top-10 cornerback in the NFL. He is the single-best defensive playmaker on the Ravens, if not in the entire NFL.
You could fill his spot in the starting lineup, but there is no replacing the skill set he brings to the table each and every week.
Fortunately, the Ravens do have the advantage of playing host to one of the deepest and most talented secondaries in the NFL. That depth will surely be tested, though, with Peters sidelined.
The Ravens are beaten and battered. But with such a talented roster, their season is far from over.
Let’s take a look at three players who must step up following the Marcus Peters injury.
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.
2. Jimmy Smith, CB, Ravens
Jimmy Smith is no stranger to the spotlight in Baltimore. While he’s taken on more of a backseat role in recent years, Smith has done about everything there is to do with the Ravens.
And with 88 career starts under his belt, the Ravens know that they could count on Smith in a starting role if need be. That might just be the case with Peters now done for the year.
The 33-year-old signed a one-year extension with the organization in the offseason and has insisted that he would rather retire than play anywhere else.
Smith probably could have pushed for a starting job on a handful of NFL teams, but he chose to stick with Baltimore instead. Both the team and player are likely happy that decision was made now.
Smith will likely miss the start of the season as he continues to recover from a low-ankle sprain he suffered a little over a month ago. He returned to practice for the first time on Wednesday, but it seems unlikely that he plays in Week 1.
It’s fair to assume that Smith won’t be back on the field until at least Week 2 or 3, but upon his return, expect him to immediately slot in as a defensive contributor.
Despite taking on a lesser role, Smith has still started five games in each of the last two seasons. Expect that trend to continue this year with Peters now out.
1. Anthony Averett, CB, Ravens
The Ravens have privately and publically stated for a while now that they believe Anthony Averett is a starting-caliber cornerback. But he’s never really gotten the opportunity to prove that over an extended period.
That will most certainly change now with Marcus Peters sidelined for the season.
A fourth-round pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, Averett played sparingly as a rookie before seeing his playing time increase in each of the next two seasons.
He’s started seven games over the last two years and played a career-high 33 percent of defensive snaps in 2020. Averett has been buried on the depth chart to this point, but that won’t be the case this season.
The former Alabama standout is the most likely candidate to step into a starting role while Peters is out. That’s especially true with Jimmy Smith expected to be sidelined for Week 1.
Averett will be given the opportunity to prove the Ravens right and show that he is a starting-caliber NFL cornerback. And it’s all going to happen in a contract year too.
Averett will be a free agent at the end of the year making the next four or so months an audition for the other 31 NFL teams as much as it is for the Ravens’ front office and coaching staff.
If Averett can prove that he’s fit to be an NFL starter, he should cash in big time this offseason. Either way, the Ravens will be counting on him more than ever in 2021.