The Baltimore Ravens are paying a lot of money — too much money by almost any standard — for longtime slot cornerback Marlon Humphrey.
That’s made Humphrey and the 5-year, $97.5 million contract extension he signed in October 2020 the subject of much debate over the last year, and it won’t slow down heading into the 2026 regular season.
Part of the debate around Humphrey isn’t just what might happen with him, but who might replace him in the lineup, and Ebony Bird’s Eamon Cassels singled out the competition to become Humphrey’s top backup as the most unexpected position battle to pay attention to in OTAs.
“Finding a dependable backup slot cornerback behind Marlon Humphrey will also be vital,” Cassels wrote on June 7. “The three-time Pro Bowler showed signs of regression last year. As it stands, fifth-round pick Chandler Rivers, Keyon Martin, and Robert Longerbeam will be competing for the spot. Martin played a role last season, earning 143 snaps despite being an undrafted free agent. Still, at 170 pounds, his size concerns are undeniable. Longerbeam, the 2025 sixth-round pick, unfortunately, missed all of his season due to a knee injury.”
Chandler Rivers Seems Like Favorite to Earn Role
If you’re making bets, Rivers seems like the odds-on favorite to become Humphrey’s backup and the eventual long-term replacement at slot cornerback.
ESPN’s Benjamin Solak put Humphrey at the top of his list of NFL veterans on the hot seat who could be replaced by rookies in 2026, singling out Rivers, a 5th round pick (No. 162 overall ).
Rivers was 1 of a whopping 11 draft picks in 2026 for 1st year head coach Jesse Minter, the former Los Angeles Chargers defensive coordinator who took over after his former boss, John Harbaugh, was fired after 18 seasons.
“Humphrey has been a lifelong Raven and generally one of the most underappreciated defenders in football,” Solak wrote. ” … 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 the 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).”
Chandler Rivers’ Draft Stock Dipped Slightly
It’s evident Rivers’ size — he’s only 5-foot-9 and 185 pounds — cost him some money in the draft, where NFL draft analyst Lance Zierlein predicted he would be a 3rd or 4th round pick after he was an All-American and 2-time All-ACC pick at Duke.
Rivers did his part by performing well at the NFL scouting combine, running a 4.4-second 40-yard dash to go with a 39-inch vertical leap.
“Rivers was a productive, 45-game starter over his four seasons at Duke,” Zierlein wrote in his pre-draft evaluation. “He competed hard when lined up outside but figures to scoot inside in the NFL due to his lack of size and length. He’s capable in zone or man coverages, utilizing good anticipation and short-area quickness, but he could struggle to contest big slot matchups. He’s willing in run support but might be too small to finish tackles at a pro rate. Rivers is football smart and rarely stacks mistakes. He should appeal to teams looking for a nickelback on Day 3.”
Ravens Predicted for Surprise Position Battle in Offseason