The Ravens have cut cornerback Chykie Brown and promoted undrafted rookie cornerback Tramain Jacobs from the practice squad.
Brown has given up two long touchdowns this season, including a game-winning 77-yarder to Cincinnati in Week 1 and a 54-yard score in Pittsburgh last Sunday.
Jacobs was impressive at times in training camp, and recorded eight tackles and one pass deflection in the preseason.
The Ravens liked the 5-foot-11 Texas A&M product's competitiveness and raw skills, but he didn't make the 53-man roster in September. They kept him on the practice squad.
Baltimore's coaches must be happy with the way he's been practicing recently, and want to give him a shot to step in for the struggling Brown.
"A really good, young talent who just needs to see it live more and more," Defensive Coordinator Dean Pees said during training camp. "I think the upside on this guy is great.
"Is he there yet? No. He has a ways to go. But usually you can tell whether a guy has a ways to go and can get there or if a guy has got a ways to go and there's always going to be a ways to go. He has got a ways to go, but he's going to get there."
Baltimore's secondary has been a sore spot so far this season and gave up six touchdowns last week in Pittsburgh. Brown, a former fifth-round pick in 2011, has had trouble throughout the year.
He gave up a number of big plays throughout training camp, but was forced into starting duty in Week 1 because Webb (back) was injured. Brown was beaten by Bengals wide receiver A.J. Green for a game-winning 77-yard touchdown in that game.
Brown saw fewer defensive snaps after that, and was inactive for the first time since his rookie year in Weeks 7 and 8.
Brown was activated Sunday in Pittsburgh due to Smith's injury. He saw limited defensive snaps, as the Ravens continued to use safeties at cornerback, but was again beaten deep.
Brown was matched up against Antonio Brown on the Steelers receiver's 54-yard catch-and-run touchdown in the fourth quarter. Chykie Brown tried to knock the ball down but whiffed, and in the process also missed the tackle.
On Monday, Head Coach John Harbaugh challenged his secondary.
"You want to play in that secondary?" he said. "Step up in practice and play well and step up in the game and make plays and be in the right spot. And that's what we're looking for guys to do."
