If Baltimore Ravens fans were waiting for some sugarcoating about Brandon Stephens’ future in Baltimore, General Manager Eric DeCosta clearly didn’t get the memo. During his postseason presser, DeCosta spoke candidly about Stephens, and while the words sounded complimentary on the surface, the subtext was impossible to ignore—Stephens is likely on his way out.
Look, the numbers tell the story. Stephens’ Pro Football Focus coverage grade this season was a whopping 50.7, ranking him 175th out of 223 corners. Not exactly the stuff you'd highlight on a resume.
Add in the fact that he gave up 72 catches for 926 yards and five touchdowns, and it’s clear opposing offenses saw Stephens as the clear defensive back to target relentlessly. His performance? Let’s just say it left a lot to be desired.
DeCosta didn’t trash Stephens by any means, but his comments had all the subtlety of a breakup text: “'B-Steve' is a great pro – an awesome attitude, a great teammate. He'd probably say he didn't have as good a year this year, but his attitude never wavered.” Translation? Nice guy, not cutting it on the field.
It's time for the Ravens to move on from Brandon Stephens
The real kicker came when DeCosta added, “He’s a free agent, so there is a lot of pressure on him in his mind. We’ll have to see what happens with him. He’s probably going to have a chance to test the market and see what his value is.” That’s the NFL equivalent of “it’s not you, it’s me,” only we all know it’s you, Brandon.
DeCosta said that pending FA CB Brandon Stephens was a "great pick and he's grown a lot. We'll have to see what happens with him. He's helped us win a lot of games."
— Jeff Zrebiec (@jeffzrebiec) January 22, 2025
DeCosta said that Stephens will "probably" get an opportunity to test his value on the open market.
This likely signals the end of the road for Stephens in Baltimore, especially with the emergence of rookie Nate Wiggins. DeCosta’s glowing praise for Wiggins earlier in the presser was essentially a passing of the torch.
He called Wiggins a “great cover guy” with “a very bright future” and said, “everything is full speed ahead for him.” For a team relatively tight on cap space, a rookie on a cost-controlled deal who can actually cover? That’s gold.
Between Wiggins’ standout rookie campaign and T.J. Tampa waiting in the wings, Stephens’ departure feels inevitable. Tampa didn’t see much action this year, but his college scouting report screams “high-upside project.” At 6’1” with elite length and physicality, Tampa could be a year two contributor if he can get legitimate playing time.
DeCosta’s comments were professional, but let’s not kid ourselves—Stephens’ days in Baltimore are numbered. He’s heading into free agency, where another team might take a chance on him. But in Baltimore? It’s time to move forward, and honestly, it looks like DeCosta already has a plan.