Ravens' rising cornerback might be scratching the surface of his potential

When you’re a player like Bilhal Kone, you need to take advantage of every moment. Reps won’t be guaranteed in the 2026 regular season for the young Baltimore Ravens cornerback, so training camp and preseason will be his chance to impress. He’s seeing some real opportunities to show what he’s all about this month.

Each play matters for Kone. Even the ones that go awry can be great teaching moments. Kone went through the full range of motions in Baltimore’s joint practices against the Minnesota Vikings this past week.

Kone had his time in the sun when he intercepted an underthrown pass from Kyler Murray.

When you’re facing the Vikings, though, you may have to square off with Justin Jefferson, and that’s the exact matchup Kone drew. And he got beat.

Still, Kone made it known he was very happy with how he played the four-time Pro Bowl wideout.

That’s an encouraging rep. There’s not a lot a corner can do in those one-on-one drills, and Kone probably would've done enough to give the defensive line a chance if it had been a real play. That could be a sign that he’s starting to scratch the surface of his potential.

Baltimore Ravens secondary could get some help from Bilhal Kone in 2026

At this point, Bilhal Kone likely doesn't have much of a runway toward snaps. He was a sixth-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft and, unfortunately, had his rookie campaign stripped away after suffering a severe knee injury in Week 1 of the 2025 preseason. This year, he’s basically a redshirt freshman.

Kone has a long road ahead. His lost season combined with a new coaching staff means he has everything to prove. He must continue to take strides like the ones against the Vikings in practice.

Luckily for him, if he can keep doing that, there may be room for Kone to actually contribute on the defensive side of the ball in some capacity in 2026. The Ravens have a need for boundary cornerback depth.

Kone could be the guy they need there. He can use his long 6-foot-1 frame to overwhelm opposing wide receivers in man coverage, while also demonstrating promising instincts and anticipation that can make him a problem at the catch point. He also plays with an aggressive and competitive mindset that coaches will love.

Obviously he hasn’t had much of a chance to showcase that in the pros yet, but the room for growth is there.

The corner room as a whole looks strong, but when it comes to guys who can play on the outside, T.J. Tampa and Kone are really the only backups with that skill set. That might make Kone's presence even more important for this upcoming season.

Maybe he can prove worthy of reps with a stellar showing against the Minnesota Vikings in Week 2 of the preseason.

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