The Baltimore Ravens are a team that drafts and develops. They rely on patience and slowly moving players. It means that they do not expect all that much out of their rookies for the time being. While that is the case, the Ravens may have no choice but to move on from Kyu Blu Kelly after just one training camp and preseason.
Could the Baltimore Ravens release Kyu Blu Kelly?
Kelly fell to the fifth round and there were plenty of reasons why. Still, the Ravens' need at cornerback was major, so it was easy to think that he would be in the mix to make the team. However, so far, it seems like the only reason he would make the team is because of that draft pick invested in him.
The Ravens have had injuries to Marlon Humphrey, Rock Ya-Sin, Pepe Williams, Arthur Maulet, and Jalyn Armour-Davis. Despite that, Kyu Blu Kelly has not sniffed a repetition with the first team. He has been locked behind Kevon Seymour and Brandon Stephens, and for good reason.
Kelly has allowed a 136.1 passer rating and has a penalty. Seymour has allowed a 77.9 passer rating, and Stephens is at 62.7. Neither has committed a penalty. It is just a bad look for Kelly.
The Ravens have given him 27 special teams snaps, which is third on the team. However, he has the second-worst PFF grade on the roster, behind only Daniel Faalele, who has eight snaps on special teams. He is the lowest-graded cornerback by a good bit in this area.
If he is going to make the roster they need him here, and it is hard to see them trusting him.
When you look at the Ravens' depth chart, they added Ronald Darby to Rock Ya-Sin and Marlon Humphrey. Humphrey will take an inactive spot in week one, so the Ravens cannot have Kelly healthy and inactive.
Beyond those three, the team has Ar'Darius Washington, who will start in the slot. Then, there is Stephens and Seymour, who started over him. Oh, there is Jalyn Armour-Davis, who has been banged up, but even the coaches appear to trust him more. That tells you everything you need to know.
Even if the Ravens release Kelly, at the rate he is playing a team would be crazy to claim him. Perhaps a year on the practice squad could do the fifth-round pick well. He could come back next year and try to prove the Ravens right when they drafted him. So far, he looks like he should have been a UDFA.