Ravens CB lands on a list of veterans on hot seat after NFL Draft

The Baltimore Ravens have long relied on Marlon Humphrey as one of the cornerstones of their defense, but ESPN's Ben Solak believes the veteran cornerback enters the 2026 season with more questions surrounding his role than at any point in recent years.

In a recent ESPN breakdown of NFL veterans facing pressure entering the upcoming season, Humphrey was listed among players on the "hot seat" as Baltimore continues reshaping its secondary. The concern isn't necessarily about Humphrey remaining a productive player overall. Instead, the discussion centers around how the Ravens deploy him moving forward as he approaches his 30th birthday this summer.

Humphrey spent significant time playing in the slot in Baltimore's three-cornerback packages last season, logging 264 snaps at Nickelback. According to ESPN, among slot defenders targeted at least 30 times, Humphrey ranked near the bottom of the league in coverage success rate while aligned inside. The report pointed to a major difference between Humphrey's effectiveness outside the slot and in the slot, where his production remained considerably stronger.

Humphrey has been a lifelong Raven and generally one of the most underappreciated defenders in football. But Humphrey turns 30 this summer, and with that age typically comes athletic erosion and limited roles. In three-cornerback sets last season, Humphrey bumped into the slot for the Ravens, playing 264 snaps at that alignment. Among slot defenders with at least 30 targets, he was third worst in coverage success rate.

The Ravens need a better nickel option, and that's Chandler Rivers, the fourth-rounder out of Duke. An undersized but feisty jitterbug cut from the same cloth as D'Angelo Ponds (now with the Jets), Rivers is exactly the sort of player who excels as a 10-year NFL slot corner. If he hits, he bumps Humphrey back outside, where the veteran was much stronger last season (61.5% coverage success rate relative to the 46.9% he posted inside).