The Baltimore Ravens have dealt with a seemingly unprecedented string of poor injury luck this season, and their fortunes got even worse following the loss of DeShon Elliott on Sunday.
Elliott swiftly exited the team’s 34-31 victory over the Minnesota Vikings late in the fourth quarter after bringing down Minnesota Vikings fullback C.J. Ham following a crucial 27-yard completion.
The former sixth-round pick left the field in a hurry and was taken to the locker room almost immediately. Head coach John Harbaugh provided injury updates after the game and revealed that Elliott had suffered a torn pec and torn biceps.
In all likelihood, he’s out for the remainder of the season.
Elliott joins a long list of Ravens players to land on the injured reserve this season. The list is too lengthy to recount here, but some of the more notable names are Marcus Peters, Ronnie Stanley, J.K. Dobbins, Gus Edwards, L.J. Fort, and Justice Hill.
All of those players were lost to season-ending injuries either prior to the start of the season or following Week 1. That doesn’t include the many others who have missed significant time either.
The Ravens will now be forced to search for Elliott’s replacement. But as with everything related to the Ravens defense, the team isn’t going to lean on one player.
Instead, a collection of players will be forced to step up in Elliott’s absence. Here are a few players who should be expected to do just that.
5 and 4. Geno Stone and Ar’Darius Washington, S, Ravens
These two players get grouped together because they are pretty much in the same spot. Both Geno Stone and Ar’Darius Washington are young, developmental defensive backs the Ravens have kept around on their roster.
Both players put together strong summers and earned roster spots despite being on the bubble. And now, both players could be forced to contribute a little on defense.
Stone had played just 12 defensive snaps all season heading into Week 9 but has been a regular contributor on special teams. His role on defense might increase with Elliott sidelined.
A seventh-round pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, Stone appeared in two games as a rookie before a brief stint with the Houston Texans late in the year. He returned to Baltimore in the offseason and, at just 22-years-old, could still have some untapped potential.
The same could be true for Washington who was the most high-profile undrafted free agent the Ravens signed this offseason.
Washington has been a healthy scratch in most weeks, but that’s likely to change with Elliott out. The former TCU standout has the versatility to play both at safety and slot cornerback meaning the Ravens might find some use for him.
In reality, Stone and Washington will remain primary reserves. But one more injury could force them into the starting lineup.
3. Jimmy Smith, CB, Ravens
Jimmy Smith might not be the most obvious choice to step into a prominent role with DeShon Elliott injured, but he’s not an option that should be overlooked either.
The Ravens have shifted Smith to more of a hybrid cornerback/safety role late in his career and that trend has continued this season.
Smith has played exactly one-third of his 108 defensive snaps at free safety, at least heading into Week 9. The only position he’s seen more time at is outside cornerback, per Pro Football Focus.
But even still, Smith has only played 13 fewer snaps at safety than he has cornerback. The Ravens clearly like Smith in that hybrid role where he can be used to cover opposing tight ends.
That role will only expand with Elliott out.
At 33-years-old, the days of Smith being a regular starter on defense are in the past. Especially when coupled with his injury issues, it’s clear that Smith’s best days are behind him.
But that doesn’t mean he isn’t still an important part of the Ravens’ secondary.
Smith’s versatility is crucial at a time like this when the Ravens need experienced bodies in the secondary. And with Chris Westry set to return in the near future, Smith will likely be needed a lot more at safety.
Westry can fill that big-bodied outside cornerback role that Smith does, allowing the veteran to spend more time in the defensive backfield.
Expect to see plenty of Jimmy Smith at safety going forward.
2. Chuck Clark, S, Ravens
Ravens defensive coordinator Wink Martindale is known for his flexibility when it comes to the safety position. There really isn’t a defined “free” or “strong” safety in Martindale’s defense.
Instead, he asks his safeties to play all over the field and fulfill a variety of responsibilities. That’s why we should expect to see Chuck Clark take on an expanded role in Elliott’s absence.
Clark is the lone remaining starter at the safety position and he’ll be forced to step up and carry the load with Elliott out.
More of a natural box safety by trade, don’t be surprised to see the Ravens ask Clark to expand his role moving forward. And more importantly, he’ll have to serve as the glue holding the defensive backfield together.
Clark’s experience as a starter in the Ravens’ system will help the defense not miss a beat without Elliott. On top of that, he can serve as Elliott’s replacement from an energy perspective as well.
Elliott, or “Joker” as he’s been dubbed, was the spark plug of the defense, in many ways. His demeanor, attitude, and energy were infectious, as he helped set the tone whenever he was on the field.
The Ravens won’t have that now. And someone like Chuck Clark, who has shown that moxie and attitude, should be considered a prime candidate to fill that role.
Clark will be asked to fill Elliott’s shoes in a variety of ways.
1. Brandon Stephens, S, Ravens
Brandon Stephens is the de facto next-man-up following DeShon Elliott’s injury. We’ve already seen that twice this season when Stephens stepped into a starting role in Weeks 4 and 5 while Elliott was temporarily sidelined.
Now, that role will become permanent.
A third-round pick in this year’s draft, Stephens was playing running back just a few years ago before making the switch to defense. However, that switch didn’t involve him playing safety.
Instead, Stephens started at cornerback at SMU and was drafted as somewhat of a cornerback/safety hybrid. He’s played almost exclusively safety in Baltimore and that will certainly continue with Elliott injured.
Stephens has been hit-or-miss as a rookie this season. Which, given his lack of experience at the position, should have been expected.
The 23-year-old had played a whopping 48 percent of defensive snaps going into Sunday’s game which is likely a higher percentage than the Ravens expected when they drafted him this year.
Stephens was supposed to be somewhat of a project. A player the Ravens could stash and develop in their deep secondary while he continued to learn his new position.
But neither player nor team will be afforded that opportunity now.
It’s Brandon Stephens’ time to shine. No player will be counted on more with DeShon Elliott out than the third-round rookie himself.