The Baltimore Ravens enter the 2023 offseason with numerous needs on both sides of the ball. Free agency is one avenue for them to address them, including at the cornerback position — where the Ravens will surely be in the market for new talent.
Let’s take a look at one free agent the Ravens could potentially target — Rock Ya-Sin from the Las Vegas Raiders.
Age: 26 years old
Experience: 4 seasons
2022 stats: (11 games) 45 total tackles, 7 passes defended
Spotrac Value: 4 years, $43.5 million ($10.8 million annual average)
Last offseason, the Raiders traded Yannick Ngaouke to the Indianapolis Colts in exchange for Ya-Sin. Ya-Sin, who the Colts previously drafted with the No. 34 overall pick in 2019, spent his first three seasons in Indianapolis before being shipped off.
In his lone season with the Raiders, Ya-Sin had a strong campaign. The Temple product allowed 42 receptions on 69 targets and only one touchdown catch. He recorded seven pass defenses and had a 82.6 passer rating when targeted, which was the best mark of his career thus far.
Ya-Sin played 89% of the Raiders’ defensive snaps, which was the highest single-season percentage of his career as well. And despite playing two less games than in 2020 and 2021, Ya-Sin’s total snap count (665) was higher than both previous years. He was able to step into a full-time starting role in a young Las Vegas secondary.
At 6-feet, 190 pounds, Ya-Sin fits the profile of a physical press-man coverage defender, which the Ravens generally covet at the cornerback position. He’d be a good scheme fit who can play outside on either side of the field.
Rock Ya-Sin gon’ Rock Ya-Son pic.twitter.com/waNW4dUK9q
— (@Raider_Ryan1) November 6, 2022
Ya-Sin has not been a great playmaker for his career, though, with just two interceptions in four seasons — both coming in Year 1 and Year 2. He also has only two forced fumbles to his name as well. That would be a big contrast to Marcus Peters, in a scenario where Ya-Sin could be a potential replacement for Peters should the Ravens not re-sign him.
The biggest red flag with Ya-Sin is availability. He’s never played more than 15 games in a single season — and that was his rookie year. Since then, Ya-Sin’s games played count has been 13, 13, and 11, respectively. That totals to only 52 games in four seasons, 38 of which he’s started in.
His injury history has been wide-ranging, too, as he’s suffered from ankle, hip, and hip injuries, as well as a concussion at the end of the 2020 season. When on the field, though Ya-Sin has flashed enough high-level play to give reason for optimism.
The four-year veteran could be looking at a one-year “prove it” type of deal on the market, as teams could be hesitant to give him a multi-year contract given his injury struggles.