Ravens' under-the-radar CB may force his way into the starting lineup
Ravens' under-the-radar CB may force his way into the starting lineup Underestimate TJ Tampa at your own risk in Baltimore. He has a chance to crack the Ravens' starting lineup.
The Baltimore Ravens are in a nice spot. They open mandatory minicamp knowing they're in a position many NFL teams wish they were in. They're a legitimate contender. They're well run. There are no question marks in terms of their starter at the quarterback position.
Lamar Jackson is one of the best in the business. John Harbaugh is the NFL's second-longest-tenured head coach. On defense, there are stars, especially in the secondary. Chuck Pagano has returned, and he might have a shot at winning a Super Bowl ring he just missed out on during his last stint here.
Chuck knows a thing or two about great secondary play. He spent four years hanging out with that Ed Reed fellow from 2008 until 2011. Fast forward to the present, and the cupboard is anything but bare. Kyle Hamilton and Marlon Humphrey are already stars. Malaki Starks is the new kid on the block, and Coach Pagano has already been fine-tuning the rookie.
Once minicamp wraps, the Ravens get a mini-break before they dive headfirst into training camp. Chuck will have some interesting decisions to make, including determining who wins an outside cornerback role opposite Nate Wiggins.
Can T.J. Tampa catapult himself past Chidobe Awuzie and into a starter's role?
Let's do some inventory. If a depth chart had to be introduced today, Kyle Hamilton and Malaki Starks would obviously be the starters at safety. Nate Wiggins is one of the starters on the outside at cornerback. He's expected to make a leap in year two with the franchise.
Marlon Humphrey enjoyed another Pro Bowl season while also being named a First-Team All-Pro. That's the second time he has enjoyed that honor.
Humphrey enjoyed his success while playing the slot position, so he's penciled in there. Who's the other outside corner then? Unless another veteran is brought in, that competition will seemingly feature a tussle between Chidobe Awuzie and T.J. Tampa.
Watch out for T.J.!
Awuzie is the veteran. In eight seasons so far, he has started 81 of his 94 in-game appearances. He has also logged six starts during two postseason runs, but he has been injured.
He has played in eight regular-season games or fewer during three of his past five NFL seasons. He has also missed time during OTAs because of a minor ankle injury.
Tampa has done what most would expect. He has made a name for himself in Chidobe's absence. Might he catapult himself onto the roster? It's highly possible, but if Baltimore adds another veteran to the mix, it could cloud things. They've been linked to veteran free agent Jaire Alexander. We'll see what happens. In the meantime, it bears repeating. Coach Pagano has some work to do as this offseason rolls on and continues.
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