The Baltimore Ravens made a very interesting move when they released safety Earl Thomas earlier this week. The former Seattle Seahawks star signed a four-year deal worth $55 million with Baltimore in 2019, and recorded 49 tackles, two sacks, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery and two interceptions in his first season with his new club. It was good enough for his seventh Pro Bowl nod, but the Ravens felt it best to move in a different direction.
While it's hard to imagine moving on from one of the best safeties in the game aids the Ravens in their pursuit of a Lombardi trophy, Baltimore is confident they have the perfect replacement in DeShon Elliott. The third-year defensive back is excited about the opportunity, and says he will do anything necessary to help the Ravens in 2020.
"Earl is a Hall of Famer, no doubt. So, of course, I respect Earl and his game," Elliott said, via the Ravens' official website. "But I'm not worried about Earl; I'm worried about me and what I can bring to this team for my teammates. I know I'm going to make my plays, [and] I know we're going to strive to be great. So, whatever I have to do to do that, that's what's going to happen. Whether it's eight picks, 10 picks or no picks, whatever I need to do to help my team be great and win every game we need to win to accomplish our end goal, that's all I care about."
Elliott was selected by the Ravens in the sixth round of the 2018 NFL Draft. During his junior season at Texas, he was a finalist for the Jim Thorpe Award and a unanimous All-American. He missed his rookie season due to a fractured forearm and recorded just six combined tackles and one pass defensed last year, but the Ravens apparently like what they have seen from him in practice. According to CBS NFL Insider Jason La Canfora, the Ravens' leadership council reportedly voiced their support for Elliott, and urged Baltimore to cut ties with Thomas.
"It's his time," Ravens head coach John Harbaugh said of Elliott, via ESPN's Jamison Hensley. "So, here we go."
