While many NFL players have some of the best seasons of their careers in the final years of their contract, just as many have poor seasons that cost them a good chunk of change. Unfortunately, Baltimore Ravens cornerback Brandon Stephens fell into the latter camp this season.
A 2021 third-round pick, Stephens established himself as a solid corner in 2023, particularly when Marlon Humphrey missed the start of the season due to injury. This year, though, his play drastically declined as he let up big plays repeatedly. His 65 receptions allowed were the fifth-most in the league.
Stephens will likely have some market in free agency next week, but not nearly what it would’ve been a year ago. At the very least, it seems likely that he’s played his final game in Baltimore, as The Athletic’s Jeff Zrebiec predicted him to leave this offseason.
“Stephens probably cost himself some money with a rocky 2024, but he’s still young, durable, versatile and experienced on special teams,” Zrebiec wrote. “He’s also just one year removed from playing a premium position at a reasonably high level.
“There will likely be teams that see how sticky Stephens can be in coverage — his primary issue has been finding the football — and feel like they can fix or work around his flaws. The Ravens maintain that they haven’t ruled out re-signing him, but that probably only happens if a market for Stephens doesn’t develop.”
There’s obviously still the chance that Stephens could bounce back in 2025, be it in Baltimore or elsewhere. Again, he played well throughout the 2023 season, and at least a few teams will look to get that kind of production out of him.
With the Ravens low on cap space, though, it doesn’t seem very practical to take that risk and jeopardize missing out on other key players.