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Baltimore Ravens CB Jimmy Smith had to be carted off the practice field on Friday. After covering TE Mark Andrews in the 11-on-11 drill, Jimmy Smith tripped over the latter, who fell while trying to catch a pass.
Smith limped off the field with assistance, but the medical cart was needed to take him further. Early reports state that Jimmy Smith suffered a lower ankle sprain, which was a best-case scenario.
Jimmy Smith, who is 33 and has a long line of injuries in the past, has missed a total of 16 games in the last two seasons. He played in 11 games (five starts) and had 27 tackles, one pass defended, one sack, and one fumble recovery. The Ravens had brought back Jimmy Smith for his 11th season on a one-year deal.
With Smith out, the depth at CB outside of Marcus Peters and Marlon Humphrey is shaky. Tavon Young, the starting nickel CB, is still finishing his rehab after his ACL tear in 2020, and might not be fully ready by Week 1.
At best, Smith could end up missing at least a few weeks of the regular season. So Baltimore may have to find a temporary replacement until Jimmy Smith can get back on the field. On that note, here's a look at three potential temporary replacements for CB Jimmy Smith.
#1 Anthony Averett
Anthony Averett is already on the Baltimore roster as a fourth-year player. He could provide the Ravens with a semi-experienced option in the defense. Averett has been impressive in training camp, making big plays in 11-on-11 drills.
He hasn't played in a preseason game yet, but could rise up the depth chart, especially with Tavon Young still recovering. Averett doesn't have the same experience Jimmy Smith does, but he could be a quick fix.
#2 Nickell Robey-Coleman
Nickell Robey-Coleman was PFF's 14th-best free agent CB entering free agency, and is still available. He had low coverage grades in 2020 with the Philadelphia Eagles.
Robey-Coleman should still be an aggressive slot CB, but did give up 11.7 yards/catch and a 116 passer rating when targeted last season. Still, the Baltimore Ravens need depth until Jimmy Smith is back, hopefully sooner rather than later. It's slim pickings in the market for a CB.
#3 Dre Kirkpatrick
It's too early for the Ravens to trade for a player to fill in for Jimmy Smith, so they are forced to look at the small free agent pool.
In 2020 with the Arizona Cardinals, Dre Kirkpatrick played in 14 games (11 starts) and totaled 56 tackles, three INTs (1st in the team) and seven passes defended (2nd in the team).
He's 31 and hasn't played a full season since 2015. But he's an inexpensive veteran who can still play well enough and produce the goods when called upon. Kirkpatrick is the best replacement for Jimmy Smith if he's only out for the first two or three games.
