Marlon Humphrey

Ravens’ Marlon Humphrey, Marcus Peters Recovering From Season-Ending Injuries

The Ravens’ 2021 season was derailed by injuries on both sides of the ball. A large part of the reason for the team’s late-season collapse was the loss of Marlon Humphrey mid-year, after Marcus Peters was injured before the campaign began. 

Things are looking up for both of them on the injury front, though, as noted by Coral Smith of NFL.com. Head coach John Harbaugh relayed last week that the former had returned to practice during OTAs. He suffered a torn pectoral muscle towards the end of the season, marking another significant blow to Baltimore’s secondary. The team lost six straight contests to close out the campaign, and ranked last in the league against the pass.

The loss of Humphrey was of course exacerbated by the fact that Peters tore his ACL during practice in the preseason. Harbaugh said, however, that his rehab is “coming along really well”. The return of both Pro Bowlers to the lineup – let alone to the form they have both showed in recent years – would complement the various moves the team has made on the backend of its defense.

Baltimore’s top free agent signing was safety Marcus Williams, who is set to spend plenty of time alongside first-rounder Kyle Hamilton. While the presence of those two has led to teams calling about veteran Chuck Clark, the team has made no indication they intend to move him. As for the CB room, Baltimore added mid-round depth in the draft, and signed veteran Kyle Fuller last week.

That overhaul of the unit is cause for optimism at this point, but the health of Humphrey and Peters remains the most important question to be answered. Given the team’s investment in the pair (the former ranks fourth in the league in average salary amongst corners, while the latter sits 12th), they will play a crucial role in its ability to rebound in 2022. At the moment, at least, they are on track to resume their status as integral pieces to Baltimore’s roster.

Minor NFL Transactions: 12/8/21

Today’s minor moves:

Baltimore Ravens

Cincinnati Bengals

  • Designated for return: G D’Ante Smith, CB Trae Waynes

Denver Broncos

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Rams

Miami Dolphins

New Orleans Saints

New York Jets

Washington Football Team

Ravens’ Marlon Humphrey Done For Year

Bad news for the Ravens. On Monday, head coach John Harbaugh confirmed that cornerback Marlon Humphrey will miss the rest of the year with a torn pectoral muscle. 

This was the fear after Humphrey was forced out early from Sunday’s game against the Steelers. Down by one point late in the game, the Ravens could have taken the Steelers to overtime on Sunday with an extra point. Instead, they opted to go for a two-point conversion, knowing that they’d have to go through OT without their star defender. Unable to convert, they lost 20-19, dropping them to 8-4 on the year.

The Ravens still lead the AFC North at 8-4, but it’ll be a little tougher to stave off the 7-5 Bengals without Humphrey. Humphrey, the No. 16 overall pick in the 2017 draft, is fresh off of back-to-back Pro Bowl seasons, plus a First-Team All-Pro nod in 2019. Last year, he registered 82 stops, 2.5 sacks, one interception, and a league-leading eight forced fumbles. The 25-year-old hasn’t been quite as sharp this year, but he still ranks as the 27th best cornerback in the NFL, according to Pro Football Focus.

The Ravens, sans Humphrey, take on the Browns this week.

Ravens’ Marlon Humphrey To Miss Time

The Ravens are down another key player. On Sunday, head coach John Harbaugh told reporters that the cornerback Marlon Humphrey needs an MRI for an unspecified injury and “it could be a while” before he retakes the field (Twitter link via Field Yates of ESPN.com).

The Ravens could have taken the Steelers to overtime on Sunday with an extra point, but opted to go for two instead. The decision, according to Harbaugh, was prompted by Humphrey’s early exit. The Ravens, left with just two healthy cornerbacks, lost 20-19.

The Ravens are still atop the AFC North at 8-4, but the 7-5 Bengals aren’t far behind. The footsteps will only get louder from here if they lose Humphrey for an extended stretch.

Humphrey, the No. 16 overall pick in the 2017 draft, is fresh off of back-to-back Pro Bowl seasons, plus a First-Team All-Pro nod in 2019. Last year, he registered 82 stops, 2.5 sacks, one interception, and a league-leading eight forced fumbles. The 25-year-old hasn’t been quite as sharp this year, but he still ranks as the 27th best cornerback in the NFL, per Pro Football Focus’ advanced metrics.

The Ravens will know more after further testing on Monday, but they’re unlikely to have Humphrey when they face the Browns one week from today.

Ravens, Marlon Humphrey Rework Contract

The Ravens have some extra cash to work with, thanks to star cornerback Marlon Humphrey. Now, $2.254MM of his base salary has been reclassified as a signing bonus, carving out roughly $1.8M in cap space (Twitter link via Field Yates of ESPN.com). 

[RELATED: Ravens, Lamar Jackson Still In Talks]

Humphrey, the No. 16 overall pick in the 2017 draft, inked a five-year, $98.75MM extension with the Ravens last fall. Still only 25, he’s fresh off of back-to-back Pro Bowl seasons, plus a First-Team All-Pro nod in 2019. In ’19, he started nearly every game for the Ravens as he notched three interceptions and three fumble recoveries, two of which were returned for touchdowns. Last year, he registered 82 stops, 2.5 sacks, one interception, and a league-leading eight forced fumbles.

Humphrey and the Ravens dropped the season opener to the Raiders, falling 33-27. They’ll try to get back on the right track this Sunday when they take on the Chiefs in Baltimore.

Minor NFL Transactions: 11/11/20

Today’s minor moves:

Arizona Cardinals

Baltimore Ravens

Carolina Panthers

Cleveland Browns

Dallas Cowboys

  • Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: DL Tyrone Crawford
  • Claimed off waivers from Colts: DL Ron’Dell Carter

Denver Broncos

Indianapolis Colts

Kansas City Chiefs

Miami Dolphins

New York Jets

Ravens’ Marlon Humphrey Tests Positive For COVID-19

Ravens star cornerback Marlon Humphrey has tested positive for COVID-19. Humphrey played all 53 defensive snaps in Sunday’s loss to the Steelers, so the league will be closely monitoring test results from both teams in the coming days.

I got the Rona hopefully I’ll be back healthy soon,” Humphrey tweeted.

Humphrey, the No. 16 overall pick in the 2017 draft, inked a five-year, $98.75MM extension with the Ravens earlier this month. He’s one of the best young corners in the NFL, and the Ravens will have to get by without him for at least a little while.

Humphrey only just turned 24 over the summer. Last year, he started nearly every game for the Ravens last year en route to his first career Pro Bowl selection and first ever First-Team All-Pro nod. Along the way, he notched three interceptions, recovered three fumbles, returned two of them for touchdowns. In the interest of equal time: the advanced metrics at Pro Football Focus ranked him as the 37th best cornerback in the NFL; solid standing, though most evaluators and fans would probably rank him higher.

Through seven games this year, Humphrey has 40 total stops, one interception, five passes defensed, and a league-leading four forced fumbles. Barring a “false positive,” he’ll be out for this Sunday’s game against the Colts, at minimum.

Ravens, Marlon Humphrey Agree To $98MM+ Deal

The Ravens have agreed to a brand new five-year, $98.75MM extension with star cornerback Marlon Humphrey (Twitter link via ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter). The deal, which includes $66MM in total guaranteed cash, makes him one of the league’s highest paid players at his position. The Ravens have also confirmed the extension via social media.

[RELATED: Ravens CB Tavon Young Done For The Year]

Marlon is the type of player we want in Baltimore,” Ravens GM Eric DeCosta said. “Besides his obvious talents as a playmaking corner, he’s a passionate competitor who craves winning. We are excited that he’s going to remain with us for seven seasons.”

Humphrey, the No. 16 overall pick in the 2017 draft, was previously cuffed through the 2021 season via the fifth-year options. Per league rules for the fifth-year option on first-round picks, he was in line for the average salary of the league’s No. 3 – No. 25 highest-paid CBs, which came out to just over $10MM. His new pact will give him $19.5MM per annum, and $37MM paid out by March of 2021.

Humphrey, 24 in July, started nearly every game for the Ravens last year en route to his first career Pro Bowl selection and first ever First-Team All-Pro nod. Along the way, he notched three interceptions, recovered three fumbles, returned two of them for touchdowns. In the interest of equal time: the advanced metrics at Pro Football Focus ranked him as the 37th best cornerback in the NFL; solid standing, though most evaluators and fans would probably rank him higher.

Humphrey is just the latest corner to hit the jackpot this year, following extensions for Jalen Ramsey (five-year, $105MM deal), Byron Jones (five years, $82.5MM), Tre’Davious White (four years, $70MM), and Darius Slay (three years, $50.05MM). After losing slot corner Tavon Young for the season, the Ravens will be banking on Humphrey more than ever in 2020.

AFC North Notes: Colts, Mack, Ravens, Stanley, Humphrey

After his first season with more than 1,000 yards rushing, Marlon Mack isn’t assured the starting role in the Colts‘ backfield. Head coach Frank Reich says he’ll have a leg up on second-round pick Jonathan Taylor, but he also says that fans shouldn’t get too hung up on the RB1 designation.

There’s definitely inherent respect for the starter returning,” Reich said (via Kevin Bowen of 105.7 The Fan). “I see it as a 1-1 (punch). The way the league has gone and the way role playing has been elevated in our league, it’s made it prominent. We used to say in San Diego that when we had Danny Woodhead. He was not our starter, he was our ‘role playing’ starter. He played such a significant role. He had 80 catches in a year. You look at a guy like Nyehim Hines. We talk about Marlon and Jonathan, but what about Nyheim? He’s such a good third-down back that he’ll play a prominent (role). In some ways, (Hines) is a starter. He’s a role-playing starter.”

Right now, it seems like Mack will have to prove himself all over in camp as he gets set for his final year under contract. As it stands, he’s set to make $2.13MM in base salary before reaching the open market in March of 2021.

Here’s more from the AFC North:

  • After turning in a stellar season, Ravens left tackle Ronnie Stanley could become the league’s highest-paid non-quarterback, ESPN.com’s Jamison Hensley writes. Currently, Bears edge rusher Khalil Mack ($23.5MM per year) leads the way, followed by Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald ($22.5MM). This year, fellow left tackle Laremy Tunsil ($22MM/year) put himself in that neighborhood, but Stanley is likely to leapfrog him. In 2019, Stanley allowed Lamar Jackson to be pressured just six times, the lowest total of any offensive tackle in 14 years.
  • The Ravens have other deals on their agenda, of course, including a new contract for Marlon Humphrey. With all due respect for Stanley, Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic argues that the cornerback should actually be priority No. 1. When it comes to Stanley, his comp has already been set, thanks to the Tunsil deal. Meanwhile, time is of the essence with Humphrey – the top of the CB market will be reset soon with Jalen Ramsey, Marshon Lattimore, and Tre’Davious White all due for new deals.
  • The Browns went ahead with their gradual re-opening plan with Phase 1 beginning on Monday (Twitter link). Meanwhile, other clubs are still working on alternative plans. The Raiders, who were set to hold camp in Napa, California, may shift to their new headquarters in Henderson, Nevada.

Ravens Pick Up Marlon Humphrey’s Option

The Ravens will exercise Marlon Humphrey‘s fifth-year option, as Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated tweets. Once the paperwork is finalized, he’ll be tied to the team through 2021 at a salary dictated by his draft position. 

[RELATED: Ravens Agree To Terms With OL D.J. Fluker]

Humphrey was the No. 16 overall pick in the 2017 draft. Per league rules for the fifth-year option on first-round picks, he’ll earn the average salary of the league’s No. 3 – No. 25 highest-paid CBs. That additional year will be guaranteed for injury only, though that rule will change starting next year with the 2018 class. The new Collective Bargaining Agreement didn’t give the NFLPA a ton of wins, but that was one of the union’s key victories in negotiations.

Humphrey, 24 in July, started nearly every game for the Ravens last year en route to his first career Pro Bowl selection and first ever First-Team All-Pro nod. Along the way, he notched three interceptions, recovered three fumbles, returned two of them for touchdowns. In the interest of equal time: the advanced metrics at Pro Football Focus ranked him as the 37th best cornerback in the NFL; solid standing, though most evaluators and fans would probably rank him higher.

Some of this year’s fifth-year option decisions were borderline – including the case of Browns tight end David Njoku – but there was little doubt that the Ravens would exercise their right to keep Humphrey for an extra year.

For now, Humphrey is set to play out the final year of his original rookie deal with a paltry base salary of $2.08MM. However, you can expect GM Eric DeCosta to be in touch with his agent over the coming months.