The Baltimore Ravens have put an emphasis on shoring up the talent in their secondary in recent years. The emergence of cornerback Marlon Humphrey provided them with another integral piece for the foreseeable future.

The Ravens have now made sure to avoid any significant turnover by picking up the fifth-year option on Humphrey's rookie deal, according to Albert Breer of SI.com:

Paperwork was filed to exercise the following fifth-year options today, I'm told: Texans QB Deshaun Watson, Eagles DE Derek Barnett, Ravens CB Marlon Humphrey and Redskins DL Jonathan Allen.

The decision to pick up Humphrey's option hardly comes as a surprise. General manager Eric DeCosta was not shy about expressing his optimism when it came to keeping Humphrey around for the 2020 NFL season. Fortunately, it appears to have finally come to fruition.

The Ravens took Humphrey with the 16th overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft. After finding his footing as a rookie, he emerged as an integral piece of the secondary in the 2018 campaign. Of course, he would kick things upon a notch by finishing the 2019 NFL season with 65 tackles, 15 pass deflections, three interceptions, and two forced fumbles en route to first-team All-Pro and Pro Bowl honors for the first time in his career.

Baltimore has spared no expense at corner by signing both Jimmy Smith and Marcus Peters to long-term deals. It now remains to be seen whether or not the team is buying time to work out a potential extension for Humphrey or if this will be his final chance at a deep playoff run with the Ravens.