Former Ravens Star Already Trying to Recruit Marlon Humphrey
Call it Patriot Games.
With murkiness surrounding Marlon Humphrey's future with the Baltimore Ravens, a former teammate has already hit the recruitment trail: current New England Patriot Matthew Judon offered a mini sales pitch on X, responding to a Ravens' fan page documenting a USA TODAY report of Humphrey's release netting the team nearly $12 million in cap space.
"I like this move," Judon declared. "I think (on) the Patriots 44 is open."
Humphrey's digits are indeed available in Foxborough, last worn by reserve receiver/specialist Raleigh Webb in 2022. Webb, ironically enough, later appeared in two games for the Ravens during that same season.
Judon and Humphrey rose to NFL prominence together as members of the Ravens, joining the team in 2016 and 2017 respectively. In three years of collaboration, Baltimore ranked no worse than 12th in total defense, which included a league-leading effort in 2018. Judon parlayed his success into a four-year, $56 million deal with the Patriots at the start of the new decade and has served as the team's headlining talent in the post-Tom Brady era.
Recruiting marquee free agents to the Patriots, who are coming off their worst season in decades, is nothing new for Judon, who sent similarly-themed posts into the mentions of names like Odell Beckham Jr., who eventually signed with the Ravens. Going after Humphrey, however, is personal in perhaps the most wholesome way possible, especially considering their previous work together.
“He’s meant a lot to this defense,” Humphrey said of Judon in 2021, per Aaron Kasinitz of PennLive.com. “Anytime you see a play, you’re always going to see some guy running full speed, giving his all with a lot of hustle."
"I think he’s been a big voice to the defense, for sure. (He’s) one of our top leaders, I think. You think you know guys like him come around often, but I don’t think they do.”
Humphrey, 27, signed a five-year, $97 million extension to his rookie contract in 2020. While he has certainly lived up to his first round billing, a foot injury limited him to 10 games in the most recent regular season. Humphrey might be the only Raven on the financial chopping block as Ronnie Stanley ($15 million), Tyus Bowser, Morgan Moses (both $5.5 million), Patrick Mekari ($4.3 million), and Patrick Ricard ($4 million) would all net significant savings.
