Ravens’ Offseason at Crossroads Following Disappointing Season
In a season-ending heartbreak that will echo through the offseason, the Baltimore Ravens watched their playoff hopes vanish with a 26-24 defeat to the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday night. The loss capped off a disappointing 8-9 campaign, marking only the second losing season for the franchise since Lamar Jackson became the starting quarterback in 2018. This unexpected regression from a team that has been a consistent playoff contender has forced the organization to confront difficult realities about its roster construction and financial constraints as they enter a pivotal offseason.
With limited financial flexibility and several key roster decisions looming, the Ravens may need to make painful cuts to create cap space. Perhaps most surprisingly, ESPN analyst Ben Solak predicts that All-Pro cornerback Marlon Humphrey could become a salary cap casualty, either through a trade or an outright release. “Humphrey has been one of the most targeted — and least successful — cornerbacks deep downfield this season,” Solak noted, highlighting the dramatic performance decline of a player who would count nearly $20 million against the cap in the final year of his contract in 2026. The prediction represents a startling potential development for a cornerback who has been a cornerstone of the Ravens’ defense since being selected in the first round of the 2017 NFL Draft.
The statistics behind Humphrey’s performance decline tell a concerning story about his 2023 season. Though he appeared in 15 games and compiled respectable numbers on paper — 68 tackles, four interceptions, two forced fumbles, and 13 passes defended — advanced metrics paint a troubling picture. According to Pro Football Focus, Humphrey’s coverage grade plummeted to a dismal 39.7, ranking him 111th out of 113 qualifying cornerbacks league-wide. This performance stands in stark contrast to just a year earlier when he earned First-Team All-Pro honors with a coverage grade of 83.7, which ranked third among all corners. Such a precipitous decline raises questions about whether Humphrey’s struggles represent a temporary setback or the beginning of a concerning downward trajectory.
The financial implications of Humphrey’s situation cannot be overstated as the Ravens navigate a tight salary cap environment. Currently entering the final year of a five-year, $97.5 million extension signed in October 2020, Humphrey represents one of the largest financial commitments on the Ravens’ books. While his previous performance justified such an investment, his recent struggles have created a dilemma for Baltimore’s front office. Moving on from Humphrey would free up significant cap space that could be reallocated to address other roster needs, but it would also mean parting ways with a player who has been a defensive leader and who, until recently, was considered among the NFL’s elite at his position.
Beyond Humphrey, the Ravens’ front office faces a broader challenge in rejuvenating a team that has seemingly grown stale despite having an MVP-caliber quarterback in Lamar Jackson. This season’s struggles occurred even though Jackson missed only four games, unlike in 2021 when he was absent for five contests during their previous 8-9 finish. The consistency of Jackson’s availability this season makes the team’s underperformance all the more concerning, suggesting deeper structural issues within the roster. As the Ravens’ decision-makers evaluate their options, they must determine which players represent the core of their future and which might need to be sacrificed for the greater good of the team’s competitive trajectory.
As Baltimore enters this critical offseason, the organization stands at a crossroads that will shape its competitive future. The decisions made in the coming months—particularly regarding high-profile players like Humphrey—will signal whether the Ravens believe their championship window remains open with their current core or whether a more significant roster overhaul is necessary. For a franchise that has prided itself on consistency and excellence, this offseason presents both challenge and opportunity: the chance to retool a talented roster while maintaining the competitive edge that has made Baltimore a perennial contender. The first domino may well be Humphrey’s future with the team, a decision that will reverberate through the organization and set the tone for what promises to be one of the most consequential offseasons in recent Ravens history.
