The Ravens have acquired two-time Pro Bowl cornerback Marcus Peters in a trade with the Los Angeles Rams, landing one of the NFL's most talented corners who is just 26 years old.
In exchange for Peters, the Ravens have sent inside linebacker Kenny Young to the Rams, along with an undisclosed pick in the 2020 NFL Draft.
Peters is scheduled to become a free agent after this season, which likely factored into the Rams' decision to trade him.
The Ravens' secondary, which ranks 25th in the NFL in passing yards allowed, has been struck by injuries. At cornerback, Tavon Young (neck) is on injured reserve, Jimmy Smith (knee) has missed the past five games and now Maurice Canady is day-to-day with a hamstring injury. Baltimore also lost starting safety Tony Jefferson (knee) and DeShon Elliott (knee) for the rest of the season in back-to-back weeks.
Since he came into the league in 2015, Peters has more interceptions (24) than any other NFL player, eight more than the next closest player. Peters has returned four of those interceptions for touchdowns, and he also has 208 tackles, six forced fumbles and six fumble recoveries, including one that he returned for a touchdown. Peters has two interceptions and a touchdown so far this season.
Pairing Peters with cornerback Marlon Humphrey will give Baltimore two of the league's top corners, joining a secondary that also includes established veteran cornerbacks Brandon Carr and Jimmy Smith, and six-time Pro Bowl safety Earl Thomas III.
Baltimore will be the third NFL team for Peters, who played his first three seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs after being selected in the first round (18th overall) of the 2015 draft.
The Chiefs traded Peters to the Rams in 2018 in a deal that also included an exchange for second- and fourth-round picks. Peters continued to play at a high level with the Rams, helping them reach the Super Bowl last season.
Young was a fourth-round draft pick for the Ravens in 2018, and he will return to Los Angeles where he played college football for UCLA. After opening the season as one of the starting inside linebackers, Young was inactive in Week 4 when he lost his starting job. He was active again Sunday against the Cincinnati Bengals, but he did not return to a starting role.
