Through their busy offseason, there was one major 2025 weakness that the Baltimore Ravens didn’t really upgrade: the cornerback room.
They made minimal moves there, with 2026 fifth-round pick Chandler Rivers being really the only addition. Still, it has the potential to be a stacked group, and the team is clearly banking on their young guys making progress.
T.J. Tampa certainly has the best shot to break out of that bunch.
According to Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic, the Ravens have received trade calls for Tampa, but they haven’t been too interested in moving him. Zrebiec wrote:
“The Ravens have gotten trade calls on Tampa over the past 10 months, but they are reluctant to move him because they view the 2024 fourth-round pick as a capable starter.”
Zrebiec also noted that if Tampa can keep up his strong training camp, he’ll have a great shot at getting real playing time on defense this year.
Baltimore Ravens may finally give T.J. Tampa the opportunity to break out
For the past couple of seasons, T.J. Tampa has been that player that you just want to see more from. When he was drafted in the fourth round of the 2024 NFL Draft, he was widely considered a steal. Entering 2026, he’s only made one career start, but the signs are there that he could be an effective contributor.
Tampa hasn’t seen much more than a rotational role in Baltimore, and playing in a Zach Orr-coached defense hasn’t really helped him reach his fullest potential. However, 2025 saw him perform at an average-to-above-average level at times. Pro Football Focus gave him a 72.8 coverage grade across 148 defensive snaps, and he also held opposing quarterbacks to an 83.3 passer rating.
Transitioning from that aforementioned Orr defense to one led by Jesse Minter may be the biggest development of all for Tampa’s career. He’s going to go from being in John Harbaugh’s doghouse to a player who is expected to be, at worst, a rotational option under Minter.
Minter is known for getting the most out of his defensive talent, as well. Whether Tampa remains maxed out as a rotating corner, or makes a push for starting-level reps, the 42-year-old head coach is going to put him in the best position to succeed.
That depth chart situation is also looking pretty favorable for Tampa. Zrebic mentioned the possibility of pushing veteran Chidobe Awuzie for the CB3 job. If that’s realistic whatsoever, it’d make sense that the Ravens would like to keep him out of trade talks, and potentially want him in the rotation.
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