Corey Graham exceeded the expectations of just about everyone beyond himself and the Ravens after he signed as a free agent two offseasons ago. He had been a special teams standout for the Chicago Bears before joining the Ravens, who promised him a chance to prove himself as a cornerback. Graham entered the 2012 season fourth on the depth chart at his position, but after injuries to Lardarius Webb and Jimmy Smith, he found himself in the starting lineup and rarely looked out of place. He would solidify a key position for the Super Bowl champs and his two interceptions of Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning in the playoffs will be forever a part of Ravens lore. Last season, the second of a two-year deal, Graham was the team’s nickel cornerback. While he wasn’t technically a “starter” in a traditional sense, Graham made five starts and played 688 defensive snaps, a dozen fewer than Haloti Ngata and more than players like Elvis Dumervil, Arthur Jones and Chris Canty. So what’s my point? The loss of Graham in free agency, assuming he gets the full-time starting job he is looking for elsewhere, would leave a void in the Ravens secondary. That’s not to say the Ravens can’t find a cornerback in the draft or sign another someone with something to prove like they did with Graham. But the potential loss shouldn’t be underestimated. -The Raven Chronicles
Posted on: Mon, 10 Mar 2014 18:39:40 +0000
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