The Baltimore Ravens suffered a multitude of injuries during the 2021 season that eventually became too much to overcome. They were going deep into their depth chart weekly and eventually it caught up with them.
Baltimore was 8-3 heading into December, in a prime spot to take home the AFC North division title. But, an injury to Lamar Jackson was the final nail in the coffin as Baltimore lost the last six games of the season and missed out on even a wild card spot.
Josh Johnson and Tyler Huntley held their own at starting quarterback in replace of Jackson, putting the team in a position to win games. It was their defense that ultimately let them down time and time again throughout the season.
In a surprise decision, the Ravens fired defensive coordinator Wink Martindale. It is fair to question if it was the lack of talent that he had to work with that caused the lack of production, more so than his scheme.
Alas, the Ravens decided to move on and will have someone else leading their defense. Whoever is tabbed as the next defensive coordinator would certainly like having someone such as J.C. Jackson in the mix.
Jackson went undrafted in 2018 but has turned into one of the best cover corners in the NFL. The New England Patriots certainly don’t want to see him go, the Ravens are a dark horse candidate to sign him in free agency according to Bleacher Report.
What makes Baltimore a dark horse is the fact that they have Marcus Peters and Marlon Humphrey atop their depth chart. However, both players suffered season-ending injuries, as Peters tore his ACL and Humphrey injured his pectoral.
Snagging the 26-year old Jackson would be a brilliant long-term move for the Ravens. Peters is entering the final season of his contract, but could be a cap casualty as $10 million of cap space would be created by cutting him.
If the Ravens can land Jackson, it seems like a no-brainer to move on from Peters if the money is needed. If not, Baltimore will have one of the toughest secondaries to throw the ball against with Jackson joining Peters and Humphrey.
The Patriots traded away former Defensive Player of the Year Stephon Gilmore because Jackson showed he could play at such a high level. In 2021, Jackson was truly dominant. He registered 23 passes defender, had eight interceptions and allowed an opposing passer rating of 46.8 in coverage.
