Entering the offseason, cornerback Jimmy Smith was oft-mentioned as a potential cap casualty for the Baltimore Ravens. Though the eight-year cornerback can be a shutdown cornerback at his peak, lingering ailments and several suspensions have made him more of a liability than an asset at times. With Smith set to put a $15.8 million cap hit on Baltimore’s books in 2019, many thought the team would part ways with the 30-year-old, much like they did with safety Eric Weddle in early March.
Smith, however, seems set to play out the final year of his contract with the Ravens. Speaking at the annual league owners meetings, Baltimore general manager Eric DeCosta indicated that the team had no plans to cut Smith before the 2019 season — a move that would save the Ravens $9.5 million in cap space.
With Smith staying on, the Baltimore secondary returns in the new year with all of four of their top cornerbacks from 2018. Currently, budding star cornerback Marlon Humphrey projects to be the top starter, while Smith and fellow veteran cornerback Brandon Carr will likely duke it out for the No. 2 cornerback role. Meanwhile, cornerback Tavon Young will hold things down in the slot.
