The Baltimore Ravens have always been looking to bolster their depth in their secondary. They’ve spent plenty of draft equity in recent years to continue building up what has been the deepest portion of their roster. Even now, Baltimore has three potential starting-caliber cornerbacks on their depth chart.
The Ravens did a little more to continue their depth by re-signing cornerback Stanley Jean-Baptiste, per his agent and NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
General manager Eric DeCosta even suggested the team wouldn’t be cutting cornerback Jimmy Smith this offseason. In spite of what is estimated to be a $9.5 million savings on the 2019 salary cap for Baltimore, DeCosta pointed to the secondary being a strength with all their depth and not wanting to mess with that in a pass-happy league.
The Ravens chose to not tender Jean-Baptiste like their other restricted and exclusive-rights free agents. It allowed Jean-Baptiste to hit free agency formally.
Jean-Baptiste, a former second-round selection by the New Orleans Saints in the 2014 NFL draft, has been a journeyman throughout his career. Jean-Baptiste has been with the Ravens, Jacksonville Jaguars, Kansas City Chiefs, Seattle Seahawks, Detroit Lions and Saints throughout his five-year career.
Jean-Baptiste fractured his arm last year in a preseason game against the Washington Redskins. Prior to the injury, he had been playing well for Baltimore and looked primed to earn a spot on the Ravens’ 53-man roster. But the injury put Jean-Baptiste on injured reserve for the second time in his career.
