Jaire Alexander was supposed to be the piece that locked everything in. The Ravens finally had their lockdown corner, and on paper, the secondary looked deep. But then Ar’Darius Washington tore his Achilles, and suddenly, that whole picture changed. Washington was the one safety who could match up in the slot, carry tight ends across the field, and make the right pre-snap calls without needing help. Marcus Williams still isn’t fully back from the hamstring injury that cost him most of last season, either. Now there’s a rookie next to Kyle Hamilton and a lot of guesswork after that. And John Harbaugh has never done that before.

Malaki Starks wasn’t drafted to patch things up. He was drafted because he made high-pressure decisions look simple at Georgia. When teams motioned or shifted late, Starks didn’t just adjust—he reset coverages. He was the one Kirby Smart trusted to cancel blitzes if he didn’t like what he saw. That’s not just talent, that’s control. But Baltimore doesn’t hand over that kind of control quickly. Even Kyle Hamilton, now the defensive star, was eased in behind veterans in his rookie year. Starks might be sharp, but Harbaugh knows how easily things spiral when a rookie’s reading the field alone.

That’s what brought the conversation to Ravens Rundown, a podcast that’s been tracking every offseason detail. And in the latest episode, the host made one thing very clear: the rookie may not be the right answer right now. This is what he said:

“They have not added anybody since Jaire Alexander. I think they should add in the safety room. I would love it to be Justin Simmons, Julian Blackmon or Jordan Whitehead. Those are really good free agent options.” It’s not just a wish-list, but a direct response to what the Ravens have not done since the draft. Simmons is still available after being released by Denver in a cost-cutting move, but he’s far from washed. He logged 70+ tackles and three picks last season and brings seven years of high-volume starting experience. Blackmon, meanwhile, finished 2023 with four interceptions and played more than 400 snaps at both free and strong safety—a versatility match for what Baltimore just lost in Ar’Darius Washington. And Whitehead? He didn’t miss a single snap last year for the Jets and opened the season by intercepting Josh Allen three times in one game.

The host continued, “In every other position across the football field, you struggle to scrape together more than one decent option. At the safety position, you’ve got three good ones.” That’s true, but also rare. At this point in the offseason, most position groups are down to rotational players or vets recovering from injuries. But safety, somehow, has remained deep. Part of that’s circumstantial—teams that expected to draft one didn’t, or they took younger fliers like Baltimore did with Starks. But the Ravens can’t afford to treat that as a luxury. Their top options beyond Hamilton and the rookie are Sanoussi Kane, who’s yet to appear in an NFL game, and Beau Brade, who spent all of 2024 on the practice squad. With Marcus Williams still rehabbing and Washington out, the room behind Starks is basically empty. Which means if Starks struggles or needs time to adjust, there’s no fallback unless they create one now. That’s what the host was getting at in his final point: 

“If you could add a safety to pair up with Malaki Starks and Kyle Hamilton—and yes I know Beau Brade and Sanoussi Kane are still there—if you could add one more guy that’s played a lot of football, I would really really love that.” He’s not calling for a depth piece but someone who can let Hamilton keep roaming, who doesn’t need handholding next to a rookie, and who’s seen enough offensive looks to not bite on every pre-snap shift. Baltimore’s early-season schedule includes the Chiefs, Bills, and Bengals, three teams that feast on communication breakdowns in the secondary. Harbaugh doesn’t usually rush rookies, and asking one to hold the back end together on Day 1 could set him up to fail. A veteran presence wouldn’t block Starks; it might be the only thing that lets him develop properly.

But if Malaki clicks early on, he might still produce more than any of these risks. It would be a calculated risk to rely on him, and in the long run, it might be ideal.

Could Malaki Starks be lining up with Jaire Alexander?

Yes, the headlines have been all about Jaire Alexander lately. The Ravens signed the cornerback on a four-year deal this season. Great signing. The three-time Pro Bowler and certified lockdown corner can be a game-changer for the older Harbaugh brother this season. With 16 picks and 65 pass breakups in five seasons with the Packers, he brings another light to the Ravens’ defence. A thicker layer of security.

But that blanket? It comes at a cost. Ar’Darius Washington’s torn Achilles puts him on the sidelines, and with Marcus Williams still battling back from a hamstring issue that cost him big time last season? The Ravens are suddenly down two key starters. That leaves Kyle Hamilton, newcomer Jaire Alexander, and rookie Malaki Starks to shoulder the load. But the ambiguity surrounding Malaki Starks is high. John is known to prefer those with a vet cred. With another key piece down, will he gamble on a rookie next to a new piece in his lineup?

Anyway, Malaki? He ran rounds during OTAs. Big time. Harbaugh had words of praise, too. “You throw a situation at him, and he knows. He has been studying and comes prepared. I’ve never seen him make a real mistake yet. He’s very much a pro, probably way advanced beyond his years,” he said. With these words? You’d think he was the first name on the team sheet. But there are proven vets on the market.

It’s up to John to decide if he wants to put his faith in the rookie or go for relatively safer options on the market. What do you think? Leave a comment below.