Ravens Are ‘Legitimate Super Bowl Contenders’

Three Ravens Land on Top 101 List

The Ravens have had their fair share of snubs on top player lists recently, but three Ravens, Marlon Humphrey, Marcus Williams and Jackson, were featured on Touchdownwire’s Doug Farrar and Mark Schofield’s Top 101 players list.

“Humphrey’s versatility [is] a reason for his inclusion,” Farrar wrote. “Humphrey stands out both on the boundary, as well as for the work that he does in the slot. Humphrey’s physical style of play, as well as his recovery skills, make him a solid option for the Ravens along the boundary. Humphrey might also be suited for inclusion on the slot defenders list, but given that he has spent more time on the outside recently, he pops up here for the work he has done along the outside.”

This isn’t the first time Humphrey’s skill in the slot have been called superior to his play as an outside cornerback. In early June, PFF’s Anthony Treash wrote Humphrey “would claim the top spot” on their slot cornerback list, but ranked No. 9 as an outside cornerback.

“But in 2021, few deep safeties were better,” Farrar wrote. “Williams allowed eight completions on 16 targets for 112 yards, 29 yards after the catch, two interceptions, one touchdown, and that opponent passer rating of 54.2. The Ravens obviously aren’t too concerned about the year-to-year variance, and with box safety Chuck Clark and first-round do-it-all rookie Kyle Hamilton on board, Baltimore may have the NFL’s best and most interesting three-safety group. That’s a big deal in an era where all kinds of coverages make up the norm.”

“I think two things are true about Jackson’s 2021 campaign,” Farrar wrote. “First, during the first two months of the season, he was playing at a near-MVP level. Second, the rest of the way was a struggle as he, and the Baltimore Ravens, dealt with mounting injuries. Now perhaps that second half of the season is what has led some to leave Jackson off similar lists, wonder if regression has set in, and question whether the Ravens would…