Ravens Could Let Starting CB Walk in Free Agency

If there’s a player that illustrates how perception can change on a dime in the NFL, Baltimore Ravens cornerback Brandon Stephens has to be up there.

Last season, Stephens emerged as a solid piece in the secondary. Sure, he was targeted at an extremely high rate, but he held his own in coverage and was especially critical while Marlon Humphrey dealt with injuries in the early part of the season.

This season, Stephens was still targeted at an extremely high rate, but was notably worse in coverage. According to Pro Football Reference, he allowed a passer rating of 106.1 in the regular season, over 25 points worse than the 80.6 he allowed last season. In the playoffs, he allowed eight completions on 12 targets for 127 yards and a passer rating of 129.5.

The former third-round pick is now set to hit free agency for the first time in his career, and while he may have been in line for a big pay day before, now it looks like he might not even return to Baltimore.

When asked about Stephens’ return at his end-of-season press conference, general manager Eric DeCosta gave a tenuous answer to say the least.

“‘B-Steve’ is a great pro,” DeCosta told reporters. “[He has] an awesome attitude [and is] a great teammate. He’d probably say he didn’t have as good a year this year, but his attitude never wavered. He was out there, very, very dependable, good practice player, tough, physical guy. He’s a free agent, so there is a lot of pressure on him in his mind. He was a great [draft] pick, and I’m proud of him.

“This is a guy that’s really only been playing DB for about four or five years, and he’s grown a lot, and he’s been a good player for us over the years. 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, but he’s helped us win a lot of games over the last couple of years. He’s been a big part of our success, and I’m proud of him for that.”

Outright saying that Stephens will have a chance to test the market certainly doesn’t bode well for his chances of coming back, though, the next few weeks will obviously determine his future.

Stephens has indeed had a remarkable football journey, starting out as a backup corner and UCLA before transferring to SMU, converting to corner and becoming an NFL starter. However, his performance this season simply wasn’t good, and it could lead to him needing to find a new home.