2022’s free agency class will be studded with stars, and the Baltimore Ravens could land a certain cornerback if they get lucky.
Davante Adams, Terron Armstead, Chris Godwin, and many other high-profile NFL players are set to hit free agency this offseason. While the Ravens could use help at virtually every position, they may be most interested in New England Patriots cornerback J.C. Jackson.
Baltimore already has Marcus Peters and Marlon Humphrey, All-Pro defenders who should be fully healthy in 2022, so why should the team go for another standout cornerback?
Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox listed dark-horse destinations for the league’s top free agents in 2022, pairing each player with a not-so-obvious landing spot.
For the Ravens, Knox picked J.C. Jackson:
"“The Baltimore Ravens aren’t an obvious suitor because they have two standout cornerbacks in Marcus Peters and Marlon Humphrey. It’s worth noting, though, that Peters (ACL) and Humphrey (pectoral) are both coming off of season-ending injuries.Replacing Peters with the 26-year-old Jackson could be a tremendous long-term move for Baltimore. Even if the Ravens keep Peters for the final year of his contract, adding Jackson could be a wise defensive decision.”"
The Ravens could boost their secondary with J.C. Jackson this offseason
Jackson was named to his first Pro Bowl in 2021 after posting an incredible fourth year in the NFL. He started all 17 games and recorded a league-high 23 passes defended along with eight interceptions and 58 total tackles.
The defensive back has helped New England rank fourth in the league in opponent passing yards per game (193.8 yards), and he would flourish on any team in need of an elite cover corner.
Knox makes a fair point that the Ravens may be looking to move on from Peters given his injury history and high salary. If released, Peters would free up $10 million in cap space, allowing Baltimore to potentially sign younger corner Anthony Averett or spring for a seasoned pro like Jackson.
The Ravens have dealt with secondary issues all season, mostly due to bad luck and injuries, and if Baltimore wants to be a true playoff contender in 2022, then padding its currently weakened defense is of utmost importance.
The league took notice when the Bengals torched the Ravens (who were essentially playing with a practice squad secondary) in Week 16 of the regular season.
That kind of embarrassing performance simply can’t happen again in 2022.
This offseason, the Ravens could invest in an uber-experienced cornerback in J.C. Jackson for the near-guarantee of a much more stable secondary unit next year.
Of course, that all depends on if he’s actually available or not.