Ravens cornerback Marcus Peters runs onto the sector earlier than a preseason recreation towards the Saints in 2021.
Ravens basic supervisor Eric DeCosta mentioned Friday that he expects Marcus Peters to return in 2022, quieting hypothesis that the cornerback may very well be a wage cap casualty this offseason.
DeCosta’s feedback at his end-of-season information convention echoed these from coach John Harbaugh, who mentioned Monday that the Ravens would get “two first-round-pick corners again” subsequent season. Peters, one of many NFL’s finest ball hawks, missed the entire 2021 season with a torn ACL, whereas Marlon Humphrey missed the ultimate 5 video games with a torn pectoral muscle.
Peters, 29, has a wage cap hit of $15.5 million in 2022, the ultimate yr of a three-year extension he signed late within the 2019 season. The Ravens would save $10 million by releasing the three-time All-Professional, however fellow cornerbacks Anthony Averett, Tavon Younger and Jimmy Smith may all depart this offseason.
“I really like Marcus,” DeCosta mentioned Friday. “I speak to Marcus fairly a bit. Marcus is certainly one of these guys that, when he involves the group, he offers such an genuine perspective on what this recreation’s all about. And he’s a Raven. He’s certainly one of these uncommon guys that’s performed for different groups … that are available and actually change the tradition that you've got. So I'd count on Marcus to be right here. I believe he’s doing his rehab. I believe he’s doing extraordinarily properly and I can’t wait to see him.”
Peters has probably the most takeaways (39), interceptions (31) and interceptions returned for touchdowns (six) within the NFL since 2015. He missed simply 4 video games due to damage over his first six seasons, together with one other due to a suspension. Earlier than struggling a season-ending knee damage simply days earlier than the Ravens’ opener final yr, Peters had been one of many staff’s prime gamers in coaching camp.
Brown out?
When a reporter on Friday requested DeCosta about controversial extensive receiver Antonio Brown, then talked about that the free agent had been campaigning on social media to hitch the Ravens, DeCosta deadpanned: “Oh, I haven’t seen that.”
Brown, the cousin of Ravens extensive receiver Marquise “Hollywood” Brown, mentioned final month on the “I Am Athlete” podcast that he wished to subsequent play with quarterback Lamar Jackson. He later tweeted a photograph of himself in a Ravens jersey.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers launched Brown late in a controversial second season, punctuated by the six-time Professional Bowl choice stripping off his pads, jersey, gloves and T-shirt and leaving halfway by means of a Week 17 recreation. Brown has additionally confronted allegations of sexual and private misconduct.
Whereas Jackson has indicated his help for Brown, a fellow South Florida native, becoming a member of him in Baltimore, DeCosta has distanced himself from the likelihood. He mentioned Friday that he didn’t count on to make any “important additions” to the Ravens’ extensive receiver room this offseason.
“What I can say is that I’m very comfy the place we're on the receiver place, and I believe individuals noticed final yr loads of development at that place,” he mentioned. “We had a pleasant mixture of youthful gamers who proceed to enhance all year long, and we’ll have a look at methods of augmenting that place group. … Presently, I believe we’re very comfy with the place we're with that group.”
Additional factors
- Exterior linebackers coach Drew Wilkins won't return to the Ravens’ teaching employees subsequent season, a supply with information of the state of affairs confirmed. The Athletic was first to report Wilkins’ departure, which got here a day after inside linebackers coach Rob Ryan additionally left the employees. A College of Maryland graduate, Wilkins had spent the previous 12 seasons with the Ravens, beginning as an intern in 2010. He coached the staff’s exterior linebackers coach the previous two seasons.
- DeCosta known as the Ravens’ offensive line a “level of emphasis” this yr. The unit struggled with accidents and inconsistency in 2021, and DeCosta indicated that the Ravens may bolster their line play by means of the draft. He additionally mentioned the Ravens stay hopeful that the staff’s youthful linemen can proceed their improvement. “What we do know is for us to be the easiest offense we may be, we now have to have a robust, commanding offensive line that may management individuals on the level of assault,” DeCosta mentioned.
- Former Ravens defensive again Anthony Levine Sr., who’s transitioning right into a scouting and training assistant position this season, helped the Ravens with their participant scouting on the Senior Bowl this week, DeCosta mentioned. Former Ravens security Eric Weddle, whom the Tremendous Bowl-bound Los Angeles Rams signed earlier than the postseason, may additionally return to Baltimore as a scout, DeCosta mentioned. “I can in all probability put him on one hand, so far as gamers that I’ve come to admire and admire.”