AUGUST 22: This contract’s base value checks in at $1.7MM, with KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson noting it contains a $1.2MM base salary and a $500K signing bonus (Twitter link). The Ravens are only guaranteeing the $500K, per OverTheCap.
Darby retaining even a part-time role into the regular season would net him some extra cash. The veteran corner will collect $250K by playing 25% of Baltimore’s defensive snaps and $500K with a 35% snap share, Wilson adds. This incentive structure reaches $1.5MM, the number for a 75% snap rate. The ninth-year vet staying healthy would put him in line for a nice bonus, but the career-long starter has only played more than 11 games in a season once (2020) since his Buffalo days.
AUGUST 17: After a four-visit summer, Ronald Darby has a gig in place. The Ravens are signing the eight-year veteran cornerback, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets.
Darby, who visited the Titans earlier this week, met with the Ravens today. Baltimore also worked out ex-Cowboys corner Anthony Brown on Thursday, but Darby will be the addition. Darby, 29, agreed to terms on a one-year deal worth up to $3.2MM, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets.
Baltimore will be Darby’s fifth NFL destination. The former Bills second-round pick has spent time in Philadelphia, Washington and Denver since being traded to the Eagles back in 2017. This offseason featured a number of Darby flight itineraries as well. The Florida State alum met with the Texans in July and the Vikings earlier this month. The Ravens will kick the tires on the longtime starter, who is attempting to rebound from a season marred by a familiar injury.
Seeing his 2018 Eagles season end because of an ACL tear, Darby suffered the injury again last year. Working as the Broncos’ outside cornerback opposite Patrick Surtain, Darby went down with an ACL tear during a Week 5 game that also featured Denver lose left tackle Garett Bolles to a broken leg. In Sean Payton‘s first offseason at the controls, the Broncos made Darby a cap casualty. They are planning to go with his 2022 replacement, fourth-rounder Damarri Mathis opposite Surtain. Darby will land with a team suddenly in need at the position.
Although the Ravens saw Jalyn Armour-Davis return to practice Thursday, they are still depleted at corner. Marlon Humphrey and Damarion Williams underwent surgeries this week, and recent signee Arthur Maulet has missed time as well. Humphrey’s issue — a foot injury — obviously serves as the biggest concern here for Baltimore, which let Marcus Peters walk in free agency. The Ravens were in need of an outside cornerback while Humphrey rehabs, and Darby’s experience matches up with that deficiency.
Darby has started 88 games as a pro, becoming an instant starter in Buffalo and continuing as such during his other stops. Most notably, Darby started for the Eagles during their Super Bowl LII run. He later turned in a 16-game 2020 season with Washington, prompting the Broncos to give him a three-year, $30MM deal. But injuries have tripped up Darby for most of his career. The 2020 season with Washington marked his only 16-game campaign. Hamstring trouble limited Darby to 11 games in 2021, and he missed 12 last season. Darby missed eight games in 2017, going down with an ankle malady, and seven because of his first ACL tear in 2018.
When not injured, however, Darby has been a well-regarded defender for extended stretches. Pro Football Focus graded Darby as a top-40 option in 2017, 2019 and 2020. As injuries have continually intervened, consistency has eluded the 5-foot-11 cover man. But the Ravens are a bit desperate presently. They will see if Darby can shake off his injury trouble and provide them with some veteran experience.
8 years of contact tends to wear a body down and Ron would probably only be able to handle 3-400 snaps a season at this stage in his career. Even so, there are worse one year rentals you could sign.
Darby’s a good corner when available. He’s not as extreme example of Jason Verrett was (Verett’s probably the ultimate there), but he’s been mostly solid when he plays. He’s smart, experienced in several schemes, and usually is in the right place at the right time. He’s a good journeyman signing, despite his health concerns.
He’s terrible. Usually guys, especially corners, that get signed this late, there’s a reason why.
He’s definitely not terrible. Why do you post that about seemingly every player, out of curiosity? Do you actually consider most players bad? I feel like I don’t see you usually posting something positive about a player. I could easily have missed it.
Darby graded out with a 71.1 from PFF in his snaps last year. That’s not terrible. He’s a decent man corner that typically struggles against larger receivers, but plays well closer to the LoS.
Maybe terrible wasn’t a right word, but he’s not anything average. PFF, is something people will use if they like the results. He will struggle if he has to cover a good #3 receiver. Just the fact that he wasn’t picked up until this late should tell you what the rest of the NFL thinks about him. Corners are very valuable yet he wasn’t on a roster until now. Maybe you’re a Ravens fan
I’m not, not that it’s relevant. Players being picked up late is not always because the players are bad. Injury recovery, late releases, higher monetary demands, sudden needs, and freed up cap space can all contribute to that. In Darby’s case, his health is the main concern. He is certainly a serviceable cornerback, especially as the number two starter.
Needs become much more clear the closer a team gets to the season starting, but most of the time, the best players are gone by then. Darby is not a top NFL corner, but as far as starters or late offseason pickups go, he’s a pretty good signing. Most of the players available now are worse than he is.
I get that the Ravens needed a corner and Darby was all that was left but that doesn’t change the fact that if you’re expecting him to start, you’re in trouble. The scenarios you mentioned above as to why a veteran isn’t signed until late doesn’t pertain to Darby. Maybe guys like Dalvin Cook it would apply to but guys like Darby it doesn’t. Are you related to the dude?
I’m curious as to why everything has to be so personal with you. No, I am not related to Ronald Darby.
And yes, without knowing what specifically prompted Baltimore to sign Darby, it is VERY plausible that any one of those reasons factored into them signing Darby. I don’t know you’re so insistent that he is terrible and there was no reason to sign him. By your own words, you contradict yourself here. You say that “needing” Darby to start is a bad situation. Now, why would a team need someone to start? Because of injury, poor play by their current players, a hold out for money, or lack of depth (a sudden need becoming apparent that was not addressed). And yet…you also dismiss that Baltimore could need him to start. So you say that Baltimore needs a corner, yet you deny that the circumstances that led to Baltimore needing a corner could exist. It doesn’t make sense. It’s just a circular argument that only leads back to Darby being terrible.
If you are curious, you are certainly able to research some more and see that he is a decent corner. I don’t think that there’s more to add for me. Obviously we disagree on this, and that’s fine. There are other things I’m sure that we do agree on.
You’re the one that said he’s the #2 starter. I wouldn’t know. I’m just saying that guys that wanted to be signed by training camp usually are if they’re any good. Does it come as a surprise to you that nobody wanted him until injuries popped up? I would say the same thing about any other corner that isn’t currently employed now. That’s because teams felt like they have 4 or 5 better corners on their team now. If an injury occurs, then they look for a replacement
When you can’t stay on the field you are valueless.
Despite how broadcasters might feel, it’s clearly obvious that an occasional interruption in the game is enjoyed by fans link to youtube.com
Good player. Can’t stay healthy. Ravens have some potential issues with their frail CB room.