When Brandon Stephens signed a three-year, $36 million contract with the New York Jets last month, the cornerback’s departure in free agency had the potential to upend the Baltimore Ravens’ defensive strategy that helped Marlon Humphrey earn All-Pro recognition in 2024.

The Ravens deployed Humphrey as the slot or nickel corner more often than not, with the former Alabama All-American taking 500 snaps in the slot and 316 as an outside corner in 2024.

“I love Marlon anywhere,” Baltimore coach John Harbaugh said while attending the NFL’s annual meeting this week in Palm Beach, Florida. “I like him on the field. But I do like him inside. He’s a game-changer in there. Nobody plays like Marlon. There’s no nickel who plays the way Marlon plays in the slot. He can play outside with the best of them, but I don’t think there’s anybody like Marlon in the slot.”

Humphrey intercepted a career-high six interceptions and equaled his career high with 15 passes defensed in 2024.

In the previous three seasons, Humphrey had more snaps outside than inside annually. But in 2019 and 2020, the former Hoover High School star had played more in the slot. In 2019, Humphrey earned his initial first-team All-Pro selection. In 2020, he repeated as a Pro Bowler and led the NFL with eight forced fumbles.

Last season, Stephens led the Ravens with 1,047 defensive snaps while first-round rookie Nate Wiggins allowed Humphrey to move to the slot when Baltimore deployed a five-man secondary.

To help ease the loss of Stephens, the Ravens signed cornerback Chidobe Awuzie to a one-year, $1.255 million contract in free agency. Awuzie started seven games for the Tennessee Titans and missed nine games because of a groin injury in 2024. In his eight NFL seasons, Awuzie has made 81 regular-season and six postseason starts

“That was a huge signing for us,” Harbaugh said. “He’s been one of the highest-ranked corners when he’s been healthy, so our goal is to get him back out there, get him healthy, really work with all the soft tissue stuff and try to do the best we can to bring him back to his high level of play, so he should help us”

Harbaugh said Baltimore also has returning defensive backs the Ravens hope will develop in 2025.

“We have T.J. Tampa in the mix,” Harbaugh said. “I think T.J. is going to take a big step. Health is big for him, too. And then Jalyn Armour-Davis is another guy with the health. So Jalyn has always been talented, and he’s always played well when he has been out there. So those are all guys in the conversation. And then (safety) Ar’Darius (Washington) can drop down into the nickel spot. So we’ve got answers. We could definitely add a guy in the draft, too.”

Baltimore holds the 27th pick in the first round and 11 picks in the NFL Draft on April 24-26 in Green Bay, Wisconsin.

A fourth-round selection from Alabama, Armour-Davis has played in 19 games in four seasons. In 2024, the former St. Paul’s Episcopal star started two games, but he missed 10 games during two trips to injured reserve because of hamstring injuries.