Brandon Stephens was solid but Ravens' fans are happy he's stepping
New York Jets' defensive back Brandon Stephens wasn't exactly the piece the Baltimore Ravens hoped he would be for their pass defense last season. Stephens, however, might be a better fit with the Jets, who already have all-pro Sauce Gardner and D.J. Reed playing on the outside.
Stephens is a quality No. 3 defensive back. Still, with Ravens defensive back Marlon Humphrey deployed on the inside often, Stephens spent a lot of snaps on the outside against the more physical wide receivers in the NFL. When the going got tough, Stephens was frequently outmatched. Ravens defensive coordinator benched Stephens in the AFC Divisional Round and put in Tre'Davious White when Stephens gave up a crucial reception in the first-half loss. Gardner and Reed will handle the island work for Stephens in New York, allowing him to use his physicality against shifty slot targets and backs coming out of the backfield.
Stephens did feature 70 total tackles last season, but with only 10 pass deflections, the Ravens need a defensive back with skills more suited to defending the air game. Time will tell how things unfold for the defense in the future and whether or not General Manager Eric Decosta drafts at this position. For now, Stephens will enjoy his new team alongside all-pro defensive teammates.
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