OWINGS MILLS, Md. — This Ravens off-season has been one in which the offense has dominated the headlines. Moves included the Lamar Jackson contract extension, the additions of receivers Odell Beckham Jr., Zay Flowers and Nelson Agholor, even the J.K. Dobbins contract issue. But one move flying under the radar is on the defensive side of things. It's the signing of Rock Ya-Sin.
"I liked the fit. I liked the defense, liked the culture. I liked the organization. [There are] a lot of really good players to compete with, guys to learn from," said the new Ravens cornerback following Thursday's minicamp practice.
The 27-year-old signed a one-year contract worth up to $6 million. He is a four-year pro who played in eleven games last season with the Raiders with nine starts before suffering a knee injury. He had 45 tackles, 7 passes defensed, a quarterback hit and per Pro Football Focus he allowed a career-low 82.6 passer rating when targeted.
"I feel like I’ve put together a solid last two years of ball; in 2021 in Indy [Indianapolis] and then 2022 last year in Vegas. I feel like I put together a decent two years," said Ya-Sin. "I just want to keep getting better though. I don’t want to become complacent at all. That’s one of the reasons I wanted to come here, [to] play and learn from guys like Marlon, his coaches, guys that got him to the place where he is. So, I’m trying to learn and continue to ascend."
‘Marlon’ is the guy he’ll line up opposite - Marlon Humphrey, a three-time Pro Bowler and former first-team All-Pro.
"[Ya-Sin] is a strong guy, so I’m a fan of how strong he is," said Humphrey. "He plays really tough, as we’ve talked [about]. We’re both kind of built from the same cloth, as far as the physicalness."
About those flashy signings over the past few months, namely that retooled receiver room, Ya-Sin has definitely taken notice in practice.
"They are humming, man. They’re playing really well. Lamar [Jackson] is getting them the ball. ‘Snoop’ [Tyler Huntley] is getting them the ball. Nelson [Agholor] is looking great. Odell [Beckham Jr.] – obviously – Sean Ryan, [Tylan] Wallace, ‘Pro’ [James Proche II], ‘Duv’ [Devin Duvernay], they all look good. They’re running really good routes. They’re being coached well. They’re competing and taking the ball out of the air. Iron sharpens iron out there. So, as they get better, we’ll get better. As we get better, they’ll get better. So, that’s always good for the team.”
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