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Arthur Maulet

Latest On Ravens’ CB Situation

By | at August 4, 2023 12:17 pm

The Ravens appear to have their starting boundary tandem in place at the cornerback position. A number of candidates are vying for the first-team role in the slot, however.

Marlon Humphrey is in place to once again serve as the anchor of Baltimore’s secondary, but fellow All-Pro Marcus Peters is no longer in the fold. The latter signed a long-anticipated deal with the Raiders recently, marking a formal end to his Ravens tenure. Rock Ya-Sin had already been acquired as a Peters replacement, signing a one-year contract in May. The former Colt and Raider is currently dealing with a knee injury, but it is not believed to be serious (Twitter link via Ian Rapoport of NFL Network).

The question of who starts in the slot remains unanswered. Defensive backs coach Chris Hewitt named several contenders for the role, as detailed by The Athletic’s Jeff Zrebiec (subscription required). Among them is a mix of veteran and young players, as well as those with a background playing at safety as opposed to corner, and vice versa. Hewitt said the position is in an “open competition” at this point.

2022 first-rounder Kyle Hamilton played extensively in the slot as a rookie, but the trade sending Chuck Clark to the Jets paved the way for the Notre Dame product taking on full-time safety duties. The Ravens used three-safety alignments under defensive coordinator Mike McDonald, however, so keeping Hamilton at the nickel could allow the Ravens to deploy their best secondary options for extended stretches.

Other candidates for the position include Brandon Stephens and Ar’Darius Washington. The former was a third-round Ravens selection in 2021, after a college career which saw him play at both running back and corner. Stephens primarily played as a safety as a rookie, but his more common usage came at corner in 2022. Washington, meanwhile, has seen time in the slot in his limited usage since joining Baltimore as a UDFA.

2022 fourth-rounders Damarion Williams and Jalyn Armour-Davis are also contenders for a first-team role. Williams was named as a player to watch during camp, given his more natural fit as a slot corner compared to many of the team’s other options. He missed time at the start of camp due to injury, however, leaving him with ground to make up during the preseason. Hewitt added that Armour-Davis, who played on the outside at Alabama, is under consideration to be moved inside.

By far the most experienced option is Arthur Maulet. The 30-year-old signed a one-year deal last week after being released by the Steelers earlier in the offseason. Maulet has seen considerable usage in the slot over the past three seasons in particular, and it would come as little surprise if that is his primary function in Baltimore. The Ravens were linked to a veteran signing leading up to his addition, but another could be coming as well.

Zrebiec notes that the Ravens could still be in the market for a corner, though the team is focusing on its numerous internal options for the time being. The developments in the ongoing competition will be worth watching as camp practices and preseason games take place.

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Ravens Sign CB Arthur Maulet

By | at July 26, 2023 8:01 am

JULY 26: Maulet’s deal is worth up to $2MM, per Wolfe, who notes the contract will contain a $220K guarantee (Twitter link). The deal is now official.

JULY 24: Not long after the news of one of their former starting corners departing, the Ravens are set to make an addition at the position. Arthur Maulet is nearing an agreement with Baltimore, per NFL Network’s Cameron Wolfe (Twitter link).

The Ravens showed little interest in bringing back Marcus Peters this offseason, and the veteran ballhawk has joined the Raiders. Baltimore replaced Peters on the boundary by signing Rock Ya-Sin to a one-year deal, and he is expected to start opposite All-Pro Marlon Humphrey. The team’s corner depth has faced questions beyond that pair, however.

The starting slot role and depth positions on the boundary were poised to be filled by relatively unexperienced players prior to today’s news. The Ravens used Day 3 picks on Jalyn Armour-Davis and Damarion Williams last year, doing so again in 2023 with fifth-rounder Kyu Blu Kelly. That trio will be joined in training camp by former waiver claim Trayvon Mullen, veterans Daryl Worley and Kevon Seymour, as well as versatile backs Brandon Stephens and Ar’Darius Washington.

Maulet, 30, will provide much more experience than many of the aforementioned names. He logged eight starts across the past two seasons, both spent with the Steelers. Pittsburgh elected to move on from him in May, however, making him one of several veterans on the lookout for a new opportunity deep into July. It was recently learned that he was drawing interest from a number teams on the eve of training camps starting.

It was not the Ravens, but rather the Bears and Jaguars who were named as suitors for Maulet, who has spent notable time in the slot during his career. Presuming this Baltimore agreement goes through without issue, though, he will remain in the AFC North and fill a notable gap in the team’s secondary. He will have the chance to earn signficant playing on a defense which, like the team as a whole, faces considerable expectations in 2023.

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Bears, Jaguars Interested in CB Arthur Maulet

By | at July 23, 2023 12:02 pm

After being released by the Steelers in May, cornerback Arthur Maulet is beginning to garner some interest on the free agent market. Per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, the Jaguars and Bears have inquired on the 30-year-old defender (Twitter link).

Fowler notes that Maulet actually requested his release from Pittsburgh, a request that was presumably made after the club signed another corner, Chandon Sullivan. Like Maulet, Sullivan primarily works in the slot.

As with most players who find themselves unattached at this time of year, Maulet has his share of flaws. Pro Football Focus assigned him a subpar 56.5 overall grade in 2022, which made him the 90th-best corner out of 118 qualifiers. He has never fared partiularly well in the eyes of PFF’s metrics, and last season, he allowed a 61.5% completion rate and a 105.5 QB rating as the closest defender (though both of those marks were actually improvements over his 2021 work).

Nonetheless, cornerbacks are always in demand. The Bears currently have 2022 second-rounder Kyler Gordon penciled into their primary slot role, but Gordon fared even worse than Maulet in PFF’s grading system, ranking as a bottom-10 corner and earning an abysmal 46.4 coverage mark. Plus, there is very little depth behind Gordon, so Chicago’s interest in Maulet is understandable.

Tre Herndon may be the Jaguars’ top slot option at the moment, but like Maulet and Gordon, he was also a liability in coverage last season. Jacksonville has designs on another playoff run, and the club may want to add some nickel depth beyond sixth-round rookies Christian Braswell and Erick Hallett.

At the very least, Maulet can offer that depth, along with special teams acumen (he led the Steelers in ST tackles in 2022). The former UDFA out of Memphis may have multiple offers on the table, as he is reportedly weighing his options and plans to sign soon.

In 2022, Maulet recorded 59 total tackles and two interceptions, both career bests.

2 comments Chicago Bears Jacksonville Jaguars Pittsburgh Steelers

Steelers To Release CB Arthur Maulet

By | at May 10, 2023 10:12 am

The Steelers will cut ties with their primary slot cornerback from last season. They informed Arthur Maulet he will be released, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports (on Twitter).

This move comes just more than a week after the team agreed to terms with veteran slot defender Chandon Sullivan, who will come to Pittsburgh after a year in Minnesota. Maulet, 29, spent the past two seasons with the Steelers, joining the AFC North team after bouncing around the league early in his career.

Pittsburgh re-signed Maulet to a two-year, $3.83MM contract in March 2022 and used him frequently in the slot last season. Although Pro Football Focus rated Maulet as slightly better than Sullivan in 2022, the rankings difference was negligible (90th and 96th, respectively). The six-year veteran did improve on his coverage numbers in 2022, allowing a 61.5% completion rate (down from 75.9% in 2021) and dropped his passer rating number — as the closest defender — from 119.0 to 105.5. But Sullivan is now in place as the expected Steelers slot player.

Maulet’s signing comprised part of a low-cost Steelers corner corps last season. Neither he nor Cameron Sutton, Levi Wallace and Ahkello Witherspoon made more than $5MM. The team has since made some changes at the position, adding Sullivan, Patrick Peterson and second-round pick Joey Porter Jr. Wallace and Witherspoon remain on the roster, each going into the final year of their respective contracts. Sutton signed with the Lions on Day 1 of the legal tampering period.

A former Saints UDFA, Maulet has played for four teams over the course of his career. The 5-foot-10 cover man spent time with the Colts and Jets prior to his Steelers stay, starting 11 Jets games — at both corner and safety — from 2019-20. He joined the Steelers in May 2021. Last season, Maulet made a career-high 59 tackles, registered two sacks and intercepted a pass. He played a career-high 481 defensive snaps last year. As a vested veteran, Maulet will immediately hit free agency after this release.

9 comments Pittsburgh Steelers Transactions

Steelers Re-Sign CB Maulet

By | at March 12, 2022 6:52 pm

The Steelers tied up one of their loose ends before the start of free agency this week, signing cornerback Arthur Maulet to a new two-year deal, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.

Maulet signed with the Saints as an undrafted free agent in 2017, spending most of his time in New Orleans on the practice squad but appearing in six games. After being waived in 2018, the Colts claimed Maulet off waivers. He played five games in Indianapolis, earning his first career start, before getting waived and re-signed to the Saints’ practice squad.

Maulet signed a reserve/future contract in 2019 with the Jets. In New York, Maulet started 11 games over two years splitting time at cornerback and strong safety. He recorded his first career interceptions in New York, reeling in one each year there, and recorded his first career sack in 2020.

In May 2021, the Steelers signed Maulet to a one-year, $990,000 deal. Maulet appeared in all but one game last year for the Steelers, earning two starts at cornerback. Maulet adds some much needed depth to the cornerback’s room in Pittsburgh, rejoining starter Cameron Sutton and back ups Tre Norwood, James Pierre, and Justin Layne. Starting cornerback Joe Haden and key back up Ahkello Witherspoon are also on their way to free agency.

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NFL COVID-19 List Updates: 1/4/22-1/5/22

By | at January 5, 2022 11:32 pm

Here are Tuesday and Wednesday’s activations from and placements on the reserve/COVID-19 lists:

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

Baltimore Ravens

Carolina Panthers

Chicago Bears

Cincinnati Bengals

Cleveland Browns

Dallas Cowboys

Denver Broncos

Detroit Lions

Green Bay Packers

Houston Texans

Indianapolis Colts

Jacksonville Jaguars

Kansas City Chiefs

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Chargers

  • Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: TE Jared Cook, LB Damon Lloyd (remains on IR)

Minnesota Vikings

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

New York Jets

Philadelphia Eagles

Pittsburgh Steelers

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tennessee Titans

Washington Football Team

3 comments Akeem Davis-Gaither Arizona Cardinals Atlanta Falcons Baltimore Ravens COVID-19 Carolina Panthers Chicago Bears Cincinnati Bengals Cleveland Browns Dallas Cowboys Denver Broncos Detroit Lions Green Bay Packers Houston Texans Indianapolis Colts Jacksonville Jaguars Kansas City Chiefs Las Vegas Raiders Los Angeles Chargers Minnesota Vikings New Orleans Saints New York Giants New York Jets Philadelphia Eagles Pittsburgh Steelers San Francisco 49ers Seattle Seahawks Tampa Bay Buccaneers Tennessee Titans Transactions Washington Commanders

NFL COVID-19 List Updates: 12/30/21

By | at December 30, 2021 3:32 pm

Here are Thursday’s reserve/COVID-19 list updates:

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

Baltimore Ravens

Buffalo Bills

  • Activated from virus list: OL Cody Ford, CB Cam Lewis
  • Activated from practice squad virus list: TE Quintin Morris

Carolina Panthers

Cincinnati Bengals

Cleveland Browns

Dallas Cowboys

Denver Broncos

Detroit Lions

Green Bay Packers

Houston Texans

Indianapolis Colts

Jacksonville Jaguars

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Chargers

Los Angeles Rams

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

  • Placed on practice squad virus list: LB Omari Cobb

New York Jets

Philadelphia Eagles

Pittsburgh Steelers

Seattle Seahawks

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tennessee Titans

Washington Football Team

1 comment Arizona Cardinals Atlanta Falcons Baltimore Ravens Buffalo Bills COVID-19 Carolina Panthers Cincinnati Bengals Cleveland Browns Dallas Cowboys Denver Broncos Detroit Lions Green Bay Packers Houston Texans Indianapolis Colts Jacksonville Jaguars Las Vegas Raiders Los Angeles Chargers Los Angeles Rams Minnesota Vikings New England Patriots New Orleans Saints New York Giants New York Jets Philadelphia Eagles Pittsburgh Steelers Seattle Seahawks Tampa Bay Buccaneers Tennessee Titans Transactions Washington Commanders

Steelers Place DL Stephon Tuitt On IR

By | at September 1, 2021 3:38 pm

The Steelers will not have one half of their longtime defensive end duo to start the season. Stephon Tuitt will begin the year on IR.

Tuitt has battled a knee injury this summer. This move will sideline the eighth-year defensive lineman for at least the season’s first three games. The Steelers carried Tuitt through to their 53-man roster, but he will not be able to join Cameron Heyward and Co. in uniform until at least October.

Last season marked a return from a separate injury for Tuitt, who saw his 2019 slate end early because of a chest malady. Tuitt returned to have his best year as a pass rusher. The former second-round pick posted 11 sacks and 25 QB hits last season, helping the Steelers to an 11-0 start and the AFC North title.

Pittsburgh also placed offensive tackle Zach Banner and running back Anthony McFarland on IR Wednesday. After missing 15 games last season, Banner was in line to begin this year as the team’s right tackle starter. Those plans will be on hold. Banner began last season as the team’s right tackle but suffered a torn ACL in Week 1. Both players will also be eligible to return in Week 4.

To fill these roster spots, the Steelers brought back O-linemen B.J. Finney and Rashaad Coward, along with cornerback Arthur Maulet. Pittsburgh cut each on Tuesday.

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Steelers Cut Down To 53

By | at August 31, 2021 3:38 pm

The Steelers became the latest team to officially get their roster down to 53 players on Tuesday. More shuffling can be expected in the days to come, but the initial 53 is set. Here’s who didn’t make the cut:

Waived:

Placed on season-ending IR:

Some of these names will certainly be familiar, including Samuels. The 2018 fifth-round pick from N.C. State received a lot of run in his first two years as a hybrid player, and got 113 touches in 2019. He fell out of favor last year, playing sparingly and only getting 18 touches. With the team drafting Najee Harris in the first-round, there was no longer any need for him.

Finney was with the Steelers from 2015-19, and started at least two games in four straight years from 2016-19. But he wasn’t able to crack the 53-man roster in his return after spending last year with the Seahawks and Bengals. Notably, former first-round quarterback Dwayne Haskins has made the initial 53-man roster behind Ben Roethlisberger and Mason Rudolph. Dobbs will spend the whole year on IR after getting hurt in the preseason finale.

4 comments Pittsburgh Steelers Transactions

Steelers Make Trio Of Moves In Secondary

By | at May 7, 2021 5:44 pm

The Steelers made a trio of moves in their secondary as we head into the weekend. Pittsburgh signed safety Arthur Maulet while cutting cornerback Trevor Williams and safety John Battle, they announced Friday.

It’s a one-year deal with Maulet, who was with the Jets the past two seasons. Originally an UDFA with the Saints back in 2017, Maulet started a game for the Colts in 2018, but really found his footing in the league with New York in 2019. He appeared in 23 games and started 11 for the Jets over the past two years. In 11 games and five starts in 2020, he had 29 tackles, a sack, five passes defended, and an interception. He entered the league a little older than most so the Memphis product will turn 28 in July.

Williams looked like a potential very solid starter early in his career with the Chargers, but a knee injury derailed his career. Williams started 15 games for the Chargers in 2017 and seven in 2018 before the knee issue landed him on IR. He had been a part of a strong Chargers secondary, but was cut in 2019 after landing on injured reserve again.

Teams keep taking flyers on him since, as he’s had short stints with the Cardinals, Eagles and Jaguars recently, but they keep cutting him too. He’s still only 27, and will likely get another shot soon since teams seem to believe in his potential.

Battle is a 2019 UDFA from LSU who was on the Steelers’ practice squad last year.

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