The Baltimore Ravens continue to lock up impact players during the regular season. The day before the Ravens’ Week 17 contest against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Baltimore inked cornerback Marcus Peters to a three-year contract extension that will keep him locked up through 2022.
According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport and confirmed by ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the deal is worth $42 million, with guaranteed money totaling $32 million. If those numbers hold true, Peters’ $14 million per year would rank tied for sixth in the league, while the average guaranteed per year would top all NFL cornerbacks.
Baltimore traded with the Los Angeles Rams for Peters before their Week 7 game against the Seattle Seahawks. The Ravens gave up a fifth-round pick and backup linebacker Kenny Young in exchange for Peters.
In just nine games with Baltimore, Peters has notched three interceptions, returning two for touchdowns, while having 10 passes defensed and 38 combined tackles. Peters has been among the big roster changes the Ravens made in the middle of the season that has turned around their defense from one of the worst units statistically to one of the best.
It also marks yet another player signed before they hit free agency. General manager Eric DeCosta has inked guys like Justin Tucker, Marshal Yanda, Willie Snead and Tavon Young before they’ve become free agents. The hope has been to ensure the Ravens keep the players they’re interested in and to give them current market value rather than compete with other franchises who have more money to burn and would pay above what someone is worth. It’s a strategy that appears to be working already as Baltimore is currently at 13-2, holding the No. 1 seed in the AFC playoff picture and could be starting a dynasty.
