Ravens Confident In Rising Safety

Ar'Darius Washington has big shoes to fill in the Baltimore Ravens' secondary.

Nov 21, 2021; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Baltimore Ravens safety Ar'Darius Washington (29) leaves the field after the game against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Quinn Harris-USA TODAY Sports / Quinn Harris-USA TODAY Sports

While the Baltimore Ravens still have a ton of talent on defense, replacing the players they lost this offseason will certainly be difficult.

One of the most notable losses on defense was that of safety Geno Stone, who led the AFC with seven interceptions last season and provided quality depth behind star duo Kyle Hamilton and Marcus Williams. After Stone signed with the Cincinnati Bengals in free agency, the search for a new No. 3 safety became one of the Ravens' top priorities.

Now that OTAs and mandatory minicamp are complete, a frontrunner has emerged in said search in the form of fourth-year safety Ar'Darius Washington. The former undrafted free agent has played much to this point, but his coaches love what they've seen from him this offseason.

"Ar'Darius has looked really good. Yes, I feel great about him," coach John Harbaugh told reporters on June 13. He's already established himself. He's played in the games – every game he's played in, he's played well. He's looked great in practice, and let's get him out there and get him in some more games. That's the goal."

Sadly, luck has not been on Washington's side over his first few years in the NFL. He suffered a season-ending foot injury in November of his rookie year, then after spending most of his second season on the practice squad, a chest injury derailed him once again in 2023. After a hot start to the year with 11 tackles in two games, Washington had to tell himself that the best is yet to come.

"You kind of question God at times. You're like why now? I'm out there performing at a high level and doing what I'm supposed to do," Washington said, per the team's site. "But maybe He had better plans for me. That's how I looked at it. I'm doing the extra things to stay healthy."

Now, Washington has by far his greatest chance to become an impact player in the NFL, and he's determined to make the most of it however he can.

"It's a big opportunity to go out there and compete with the guys to find a spot. It's going out there doing what I'm supposed to do," Washington said. "Whatever opportunities I get, I'm going to enjoy it and be out there and have fun with the guys."

Make sure you bookmark Ravens Country for the latest news, exclusive interviews, film breakdowns and so much more!

• Ravens' Secondary Ranked Last In AFC North
• Ravens' John Harbaugh Draws High Praise
• Ravens' Derrick Henry Earns Unique Honor
• Ravens DT Has Big Goals For 2024
• Ravens Cut Rookie WR