Returning Players
Jimmy Smith (6-foot-2, 210 pounds, seventh season)
Maurice Canady (6-1, 193, second season)
Sheldon Price (6-2, 194, second season)
Robertson Daniel (6-1, 205, first season)
Tavon Young (5-9, 177, second season)
Free-Agent Signings
Brandon Carr (6-0, 210, 10th season)
Brandon Boykin (5-10, 185, sixth season)
Otha Foster (6-0, 205, first season)
Al-Hajj Shabazz (6-2, 200, second season)
Rookies
Marlon Humphrey (6-0, 197, first round)
Jaylen Hill (5-10, 186, undrafted)
Projected Starters
Smith is entrenched in the starting lineup, and he's proven to be a top-end cornerback as long as he's healthy. The Ravens signed Carr this offseason, and he took all the first-team reps during the offseason program. Carr has started every game of his NFL career, and that durability was a big part of the attraction in bringing him to Baltimore. He'll certainly get pushed for snaps by Humphrey, who the Ravens selected with the No. 16 pick, but Carr has the edge right now.
Key Role Players
The NFL is a passing league, and that means the Ravens will often have three cornerbacks on the field. Tavon Young was in line to be the team's slot cornerback, but he went down with a torn ACL this offseason. That leaves a critical spot up for grabs, and Canady made a strong case for himself to earn that job. He'll have to keep it up in training camp if he's going to work his way into the lineup.
Most Anticipated Battle
The battle for the slot cornerback job will be interesting, as Canady, Boykin and potentially veteran defensive back Lardarius Webb will compete for snaps. Boykin's signing went under-the-radar, but he was one of the league's best slot cornerbacks earlier in his career. He missed last season with a torn pectoral, but he could win that job if he's fully healthy. The Ravens want to keep Humphrey as an outside corner, and he could push Carr for the starting job if he proves to be a quick study in training camp.
