Jimmy Smith Officially Signs One-Year Extension With Ravens
OWINGS MILLS, Md. — Cornerback Jimmy Smith agreed to a one-year contract extension with the Ravens through the 2021 season.
The deal is reportedly worth up to $5 million and keeps a veteran, home-grown player on the roster.
Smith has missed the past two games with a shoulder and ribs injury. He's been a key player when healthy and has 27 tackles, a quarterback hit, and a fumble recovery over 11 games.
"He’s playing great football," Ravens coach John Harbaugh said earlier this season. "I think he’s played a lot of great football here, for sure. He’s one of the best corners in the league; I’ve always said that. I think he’s playing to that level this year."
Smith also signed a one-year deal valued up to $6 million this past offseason to stay in Baltimore.
Smith was drafted by the Ravens in the first round (27th overall) of the 2011 NFL Draft. He was an unrestricted free agent fo the first time in his career this offseason and stated his preference to remain in Baltimore
Injury concerns might have hindered Smith's value in the free-agent market. He has played an entire 16-game season just twice over his 9-year career.
Last season, Smith overcame a right knee injury in the regular-season opener against Miami and finished with one interception, six passes defended, one sack, 30 combined tackles over nine games. Overall, Smith is ranked seventh in franchise history with 14 interceptions.
"We’ve had a lot of years together – his whole career, ever since he came in," Harbaugh said. "I spend a lot of time with the secondary, anyway, and the corners a lot. So, we’ve had just many conversations about football, but also about family, all the things. Jimmy [Smith], he’s been a guy who … We’ve just valued each other’s input and advice in that way. That’s a relationship that I really value very highly, for sure.”
Retaining Smith means the Ravens will have the top five of the cornerbacks on their depth chart in 2021 with Marlon Humphrey, Marcus Peters, Tavon Young and Anthony Averett also under contract.
