Baltimore Ravens cornerback Marlon Humphrey was one of the most reliable players on the defense last year, but his strong play may not be enough to save him from being cut. A first-round pick in the 2017 NFL Draft, Humphrey has been one of the NFL’s better cornerbacks since entering the league, making four Pro Bowl teams and earning First-Team All-Pro honors on two separate occasions, including 2024. Playing in his age-24 season, Humphrey started and appeared in 16 games while recording six interceptions, 15 passes defended, five tackles-for-loss, and a 79.0 PFF grade, the sixth-best mark out of 118 eligible players.
Despite this, Bleacher Report believes the Ravens might not keep Marlon Humphrey with his current $25.4 million cap hit, especially when they could save $12.7 million with a release. The article points out Baltimore could extend or restructure Humphrey’s current deal, but that comes with its own risks, seeing as the cornerback is dangerously close to being on the wrong side of 30. Several teams could use more help at cornerback, so if Humphrey leaves the Ravens, he should land with a team like the Carolina Panthers or Los Angeles Chargers.
Bleacher Report: Ravens Could Cut Marlon Humphrey
The Carolina Panthers spent the 2024 season figuring out if Bryce Young could be their franchise quarterback. While the season got off to a rocky start, the former first-overall pick looked the part down the stretch. Set to thrive behind a strong offensive line and complemented by promising young playmakers, Carolina can now turn their focus to the defensive side of the ball. The Panthers had the NFL’s worst defense last year and could use help at just about every position. If Marlon Humphrey leaves the Ravens, this team should pounce at the opportunity to sign him.
Former first-round pick Jaycee Horn finally stayed healthy last year and earned a Pro Bowl nomination, while Mike Jackson had an out-of-nowhere strong campaign for the Panthers. Even if these two return to form in 2025, Carolina still needs another cornerback. Marlon Humphrey might not be a spring chicken, but he could bolster this defense for the next two to three years. Playing in a weak NFC South, adding Humphrey and another pass rusher might give the Panthers all the defensive firepower they need to compete for a division title.
Building Jim Harbaugh’s Defense
It’s hard to know what to expect from the Los Angeles Chargers cornerbacks in 2025. The two best players in the previous season were fifth-round rookie Tarheeb Still and former first-round bust Kristian Fulton. In a perfect world, Still will continue to develop and the team will re-sign Fulton, who will continue his out-of-nowhere strong play. However, this is not a perfect world, and Los Angeles must prepare for a world where one or both players regress in 2025.
Fulton may have played his way out of town, and the NFL is littered with examples of Day 3 picks who started off strong before falling apart once the league learned of their weaknesses. In a perfect world, the Ravens will cut Marlon Humphrey, and the Chargers could sign him and create the best three-headed cornerback duo in football. In a more realistic world, Humphrey can join the team and provide Los Angeles with at least one lockdown cornerback while the other two battle for the second starting job.
Main Photo: Geoff Burke – USA Today Sports
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