After a season in which he saw a career-high in snaps and targets, former Baltimore Ravens cornerback Anthony Averett has signed a contract with the Las Vegas Raiders. In 2021, Averett was part of an incredibly deep group at cornerback in Baltimore but saw a significant increase in his playing time due to the injuries of Marcus Peters and Marlon Humphrey. He has recorded more defensive snaps every year since being drafted in 2018 and should see the heaviest workload of his career with his new team. Averett will turn 28 years old this coming November.
Former Ravens CB Anthony Averett has signed with the Raiders, according to his agency’s IG. pic.twitter.com/A3P7CKxAw0
— Jonas Shaffer (@jonas_shaffer) March 17, 2022
Anthony Averett Signs Deal With Las Vegas Raiders
Averett was drafted by the Ravens with the 118th-overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft. Coming out of Alabama, Averett was one of the better athletes in his cornerback class. His 4.36 40-Yard Dash time ranked sixth amongst all defensive backs while his 31.5 vertical ranked fifth.
As a rookie, Averett saw limited playing time. He only played 71 defensive snaps but saw a significant 147 special teams snaps. The Ravens were playing with debatably their deepest secondary since their Super Bowl XLVII victory and it was always going to be challenging for anyone outside of their starters to see the field. However, Averett made an impact during the few snaps he saw in 2018. He saw just four targets in his 11 games but Averett managed to record a 45.8 passer rating when targetted and two pass defenses.
Averett became more regularly relied upon in 2019. The cornerback only played in nine games and made his first NFL start Week 2 against the Arizona Cardinals. His workload regressed after the Ravens trade deadline acquisition of Marcus Peters. Averett returned to a similar role in 2020. Behind Peters, Humphrey, and Jimmy Smith on the depth chart, he was primarily looked at as the Ravens fourth-string outside cornerback. Despite his place on the depth chart, Averett still played in 10 games for Baltimore despite dealing with a number of injuries.
2021 was Averett’s breakout season. Prior to the beginning of the year, Peters tore his ACL in Ravens training camp. This opened the door for Averett to play in a career-high 14 games – starting in each one. He also registered new career highs in tackles, pass defenses, and interceptions. His 77.5 passer rating when targeted was a team-high amongst Ravens cornerbacks.
Main Photo:
Embed from Getty Images
