The Ravens are ready to embark on a new football season after they named their initial 53-man roster on Tuesday, navigated the waiver wire on Wednesday, and finally constructed the final shape of their squad on Thursday by signing players to the Practice Squad and completing other ancillary, IR-related transactions.
While not as ravaged by injuries as their fellow mates filling the cornerback position, the Safety room of the Flock has also endured a few maladies through the summer and the training camp portion of the offseason.
Here's a breakdown of the Safeties unit of the Baltimore Ravens for the 2023 season.
Ravens S Depth Chart
Starters: Kyle Hamilton, Marcus Williams
Things are very simple in the safety room when it comes to naming starters but get murky further down the depth chart.
There is not a single soul questioning the starting duo as the Hamilton-Williams partnership should turn into one of the best pairings at the position starting in 2023, full stop.
Hamilton and the Ravens have decided the best move is for the sophomore to transition into a full-time safety role leaving the nickel corner spot to others, and that's the initial plan for him in 2023.
Things could change, though, considering the precarious situation and slim depth of the cornerback room, potentially forcing Hamilton into getting reps and taking snaps defending the slot.
If that happens, then it's probable that Brandon Stephens becomes the main alternative considering his widely announced move to safety in a similar vein ahead of the 2023 season.
Depth: Geno Stone, Brandon Stephens, Ar'Darius Washington
Not the greatest depth, though versatility is king at the safety position. Barring Geno Stone, both Stephens and Washington can play both cornerback and safety and have done so in recent years or simply for their full pro careers.
In the case of Washington, he's expected to be the main nickel corner or at least the primary backup to Arthur Maulet if the former Steelers slot defender ends up starting.
Stephens said that he planned to transition into a full-time safety role, a la Kyle Hamilton, after spending his career at the corner, but he was forced to play CB through the whole preseason as there weren't enough warm bodies at the position so we'll see how the franchise deals with that and his role/position going forward.