Ravens cornerback Brandon Stephens has reportedly agreed to a free-agent deal with the Jets, ending his four-year tenure in Baltimore that began with much promise but then regressed in his contract year in 2024.
No free agency deals can become official until the new league year begins March 12, but teams were permitted to begin to negotiate with pending free agents as soon as March 10 in the so-called “tampering window.”
Stephens’ departure does not come as a surprise, as general manager Eric DeCosta made clear at the team’s end-of-season news conference that re-signing Stephens was not a priority.
“He’s probably going to have a chance to test the market and see what his value is,” DeCosta said.
According to The NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo,, Stephens will sign a three-year deal worth $36 million.
Stephens, 27, was selected by the Ravens in the third round of the 2021 draft out of SMU. Originally a running back at UCLA, he transferred to SMU and converted to cornerback, and DeCosta said after drafting Stephens that the team projected him as an NFL safety.
Stephens started 11 games at safety as a rookie in 2021, recording a career-high 78 tackles. But when injuries decimated the cornerback group in 2023, Stephens shifted back to his former position and had a breakout season. He was thought to be a candidate for an early extension, but that never happened and then he struggled in 2024.
With Marlon Humphrey and rookie first-round pick Nate Wiggins often playing on the other side of the field, teams attacked Stephens, who had issues tracking the ball in flight.
According to Pro Football Focus, Stephens ranked 153rd of 223 cornerbacks overall this past season, and 174th in coverage. Quarterbacks throwing against Stephens had a passer rating of 106.1, completing 66 of 102 passes with four touchdowns, according to Pro Football Reference.
He tied for third on the team with 70 tackles and ranked third with 10 passes defensed. He also recorded 1.5 sacks.
Stephens was also durable, playing more than 1,000 defensive snaps in each of the past two seasons. Stephens started all 17 games in 2024.
Jalyn Armour-Davis, whose career has been marred by injuries, and T.J. Tampa, whose rookie season was limited to seven games, are among the in-house candidates to take over as a starter, and the Ravens are sure to look to bolster the cornerback position in free agency and the draft. They have 11 picks in the upcoming draft, beginning with the No. 27 pick in the first round.
DeCosta has long espoused his predecessor Ozzie Newsome’s mantra that, “You can never have too many corners,” and the Ravens probably would have been open to bringing Stephens back if interest hadn’t materialized in free agency. But Stephens is a proven starter, and starting cornerbacks are always popular in March.
Stephens has been a popular player in the locker room and has been praised for his cerebral approach to the game. DeCosta called him “a great pro.”
“He’d probably say he didn’t have as good a year this year,” DeCosta said, “but his attitude never wavered.”
DeCosta said it’s possible the pressure to perform during a contract year might have affected Stephens, but he added, “He was a great pick, and I’m proud of him. … He’s helped us win a lot of games over the last couple of years. He’s been a big part of our success.”
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