The Baltimore Ravens had an abysmal performance from their secondary in 2024. It was comprised of some talented players, including all-around safety Kyle Hamilton, shutdown corner Marlon Humphrey, and emerging star Nate Wiggins. However, the team lacked depth and consistency from their other starters, and one of those was safety Marcus Williams.
After a horrific campaign, Baltimore cut Williams this past offseason. The move saved $9.9 million immediately after finalizing and another $2.1 million after June 1. Now, it looks like that move is paying off, as the Ravens signed former Pro Bowl corner Jaire Alexander to a $6 million deal on Wednesday.
Ravens use extra cap space to help turn defense around in 2025
Baltimore’s Williams experiment started well but took a downturn after various injuries. In 2024, it reached the breaking point. He was a liability holding down the back end of the secondary and seemed like a shell of his former self. The 28-year-old was a healthy scratch for most games down the stretch and expectedly cut in the offseason.
Baltimore had a tight cap situation this entire offseason, but the space freed from the Williams move was just enough, and it is finally paying off. A secondary that saw struggling defensive backs Williams and Brandon Stephens start games last year has now morphed into one with star-studded talent all over the field. Baltimore drafted safety Malaki Starks to replace Williams, and the successor to Stephens is here in Alexander.
The outlook for Baltimore’s secondary in 2025 is a breath of fresh air. It takes a drastic turn from the unit that gave up the second-most passing yards in the league. In Alexander, the Ravens are getting a player who is as consistent as it gets. He has earned two Pro Bowls and two All-Pro second-team honors across his seven-year career. His big concern, though, has been his health.
While Alexander can provide what Williams and Stephens could not, there are questions about how often he will be on the field. Over the past two seasons, he has played just 14 games and only suited up for four games in 2021.
As the Ravens approach 2025, it will be interesting to see how Alexander looks after a span of injury after injury. Williams’ Raven career spiraled out of control after a similar stretch of injuries, so Baltimore taking a chance on an injury-riddled corner could be risky. However, since it is a cheap one-year contract, it is an incredibly low risk, which should pay off.