The Baltimore Ravens are going to have to make important decisions on a number of players this offseason. One such player is safety DeShon Elliott who’s set to hit the open market.
Elliott is expected to be one of the Ravens’ more high-profile free agents this offseason and the former sixth-round pick could be asking for a decent chunk of money.
While the Ravens aren’t necessarily in a super tight cap situation, they still have to think about the future, and that future will include a massive extension for quarterback Lamar Jackson. That extension could very well come this offseason too.
The Ravens could look to move on from Elliott, despite his solid play over the last couple of years. On top of that, there’s his extensive injury history to worry about.
Elliott has now missed the better part of three of his four NFL seasons playing more than six games in just one of them. That came in 2020 when he surprisingly stepped in for the departed Earl Thomas and established himself as a legitimate starter.
However, after yet another season-ending injury in 2021, the Ravens might just look to move on in search of a more reliable option. It’s the cruel reality of football, but it is reality nonetheless.
That said, if the Ravens do move on, who could they target as a suitable replacement? While free agency doesn’t offer too many realistic options (unless you want to pay top dollar for Marcus Williams, Jessie Bates, Tyrann Mathieu, etc.), the 2022 NFL Draft could be an appealing route.
Let’s take a look at four players who could replace DeShon Elliott if the Ravens decide to go in a different direction this offseason.
4. The Ravens could draft Daxton Hill to replace DeShon Elliott
If the Ravens want to find their DeShon Elliott replacement, but they don’t want to spend a first-round pick to do so, one potential Day 2 option could be Michigan’s Daxton Hill.
Hill’s greatest selling point is likely his versatility having lined up everywhere from single-high free safety to nickel cornerback to box safety to outside cornerback to even as a dime corner.
But his best role is probably at free safety where he can use his instincts and awareness to read the quarterback’s eyes and make plays in zone coverage.
It’s easy to see Hill finding an immediate home in defensive coordinator Wink Martindale’s defense as a do-it-all chess piece. The Ravens ask a lot of their safeties and Hill is one of the few prospects in this class that can feasibly do it all.
His lack of size could serve as a detriment, especially when asked to play down near the box. At 6-foot and just 192 pounds, he lacks the stature and physicality to be a consistent force in the run game.
But the Ravens have Chuck Clark for that. Clark can easily still slot down into his sub-linebacker role from time to time while Hill serves as the single-high safety.
On top of it, he already has a family member on the team as his brother is running back Justice Hill. Perhaps a little family reunion could be in order in Baltimore.
Hill makes sense as a realistic Day 2 target for the Ravens.
3. The Ravens could draft Verone McKinley III to replace DeShon Elliott
Another one of my favorite Day 2/3 safety targets is Oregon’s Verone McKinley III. While Elliott undoubtedly exceeded expectations filling in for Earl Thomas following his surprise departure, he was never a perfect replacement for his skill set.
And in reality, the Ravens haven’t had a true center-field safety since Thomas left. Elliott is a good player, but his skill set has always felt a little redundant with Chuck Clark already on the roster.
McKinley would solve that issue immediately.
At 5-foot-11, 193 pounds, McKinley is a good athlete who excels in single-high coverage. His range is never going to be as good as someone like Thomas, but he makes up for it with good speed and outstanding ball skills.
McKinley finished with a whopping six interceptions in 14 games this past season establishing himself as one of the premier ball hawks in college football.
That came after a four-interception just two years prior. In 34 games as a starter, McKinley came away with 11 interceptions. It was enough to earn him Consensus All-American honors following his standout 2021 season.
Much like Daxton Hill, McKinley would be an excellent complement to Chuck Clark and give the Ravens the much-needed free safety they’ve been desperate for.
If he’s still available in Round 3 or 4, the Ravens shouldn’t hesitate to pounce.
2. The Ravens could have Brandon Stephens replace DeShon Elliott
What if the Ravens already have DeShon Elliott’s replacement on their roster? It’s certainly very possible that the Ravens saw enough from Brandon Stephens in his rookie year to give him the starting job in 2022.
A third-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, Stephens wasn’t expected to play a huge role in his rookie season. A former college running back, Stephens converted to cornerback halfway through his collegiate career and then was asked to switch positions again in the NFL.
The athletically-gifted defensive back has had to learn on the fly, and while he had his fair share of ups and downs as a rookie, it’s safe to say he held his own given the circumstances.
Stephens would go on to start 11 games finishing with 78 tackles, one tackle for loss, one QB hit, and four pass deflections. His 53.1 Pro Football Focus grade ranked 85th out of 94 qualified safeties so, again, it wasn’t all perfect.
But the Ravens drafted Stephens knowing that he’d be a project. The plan was never to have him start as a rookie, but Elliott’s injury forced the team’s hand.
If they believe enough in his potential, the Ravens could absolutely let Elliott walk and opt against making any major additions at the position in the offseason.
Don’t rule out the internal option being the top option for Baltimore.
1. The Ravens could draft Jaquan Brisker to replace DeShon Elliott
Perhaps the best, most reasonable route the Ravens could take to replace DeShon Elliott would be to address the safety position early in the draft.
Now, this isn’t to say that this is the best option for the team. The Ravens have other needs such as the offensive and defensive lines to address — it might not be best for them to use a top draft pick on a safety.
But if they wanted to make a splash, one player they could target is Penn State’s Jaquan Brisker. Aside from Notre Dame’s Kyle Hamilton who will, in all likelihood, be out of Baltimore’s reach, Brisker is making a case to be the best safety in this class.
At 6-foot-1, 200 pounds, Brisker has good size for the position and has a well-rounded skill set that would make him the top safety in most draft classes.
He’s one of the best athletes at his position with the range and tackling skills to become an all-around Pro Bowl safety at the next level. And much like Daxton Hill, his versatility really shines through.
There isn’t a role that Brisker hasn’t been asked to fill or can’t fill in the future. The Draft Network’s Kyle Crabbs identified Brisker’s ideal role as a “starting free safety in a defense with interchangeable safety roles.”
If that doesn’t perfectly describe what the Ravens are looking for I’m not sure what does. It might take a late mid/first-round pick to get him meaning that the Ravens could do some draft-day movement if they want to make the pick.
But from a skill set perspective, Brisker is probably the best option for the Ravens this offseason.