The Baltimore Ravens have one of the NFL’s deepest and most talented rosters, but a seldom-used defensive back may be their smartest player.
At least that’s how Zach Orr sees it.
Training camp is underway, and the Ravens defensive coordinator has been quick to heap praise on Jalyn Armour-Davis, a fourth-year cornerback with 19 games under his belt.
“Jalyn is probably the smartest DB in the room,” Orr said Thursday via Ravens on SI’s Aaron Becker, “because he knows all the positions and can play them all well. … If he stays healthy, I think he’s going to do real good things for us.”
Staying healthy is key for every player, and Armour-Davis is no exception. But if he can stay healthy, he’ll have an opportunity to carve a role for himself on defense.
Jalyn Armour-Davis Could Land a Larger Role
Armour-Davis, 25, has been used sparingly since entering the NFL in 2022 as a fourth-round pick (119th overall) out of Alabama, making just three career starts. A hamstring injury limited him to seven games in 2022. He had eight tackles (six solo) and one pass defense across 94 snaps.
Pro Football Focus (PFF) rated the 6-foot-1 Armour-Davis 135th out of 222 eligible cornerbacks, including 141st in coverage.
Looking to expand his role as he enters a contract year, Armour-Davis has spent time at multiple positions on defense early in training camp. This includes both slot corner and safety, where the Ravens are particularly thin after Ar’Darius Washington tore his Achilles tendon last month. Washington, who finished with a career-best 64 tackles last season, is expected to miss most, if not all, of the upcoming season.
Ravens Cornerback Has Been Hampered by Injuries
Health has been one of Armour-Davis’ biggest obstacles in the NFL. After dealing with hip and hamstring injuries the last two years, Armour-Davis was sidelined again this week with an undisclosed issue.
Armour-Davis underwent an MRI, but was back practicing on Thursday.
According to ESPN’s Jamison Hensley, Harbaugh described the injury as “one of the itis’s. It’s not going to be anything that’s going to keep him out for a long period of time. So he’ll be fine.”
Call that welcome news for the Ravens, who are clearly banking on Armour-Davis’ potential.
Ravens Coach Has Major Praise for 4th-Year Cornerback