Jimmy Smith is probably getting his wish. According to The Athletic's Jeff Zrebiec, the Baltimore Ravens have every intention of bringing the veteran cornerback back to the team that drafted him in free agency.
In January, the eight-year veteran expressed his desire to continue his career with the Ravens.
“I got a lot of ball left in me, here with the Ravens,” Smith said, per ESPN's Jamison Hensley.
The 27th overall pick of the 2011 draft, Smith has been a fixture in Baltimore's defensive backfield for the better part of a decade. He's been a full-time starter at cornerback since 2013, when Smith put together arguably the finest season his career, finishing 58 tackles, two interceptions, and personal-bests of 15 passes defensed and three forced fumbles.
Smith signed a four-year, $41.1 million contract extension with the Ravens in April 2015, further cementing himself as a cog of the team's present and future.
The University of Colorado product has been Baltimore's number two cornerback behind stalwart veteran Brandon Carr each of the past two seasons. He had 45 tackles two interceptions, and nine passes defensed in 2018, helping the Ravens to the league's number one defense in terms of total yards and points against.
There's no guarantee Baltimore will be among the league's best defensively going forward, though. The team lost superstar inside linebacker C.J. Mosley last week when he signed a record five-year, $85 million deal with the New York Jets, and shortly thereafter watched rising star pass-rusher Za'Darius Smith sign a big-money deal with the Green Bay Packers.
The Ravens also lost star safety Eric Weddle in free agency, but made up for it by bringing in six-time Pro Bowler Earl Thomas.
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