Marcus Williams to sign 5-year contract with Ravens, per report

Free agent safety Marcus Williams has agreed to a deal with the Baltimore Ravens, according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. The terms of the new contract are reported to be $70 million over 5 years. After playing on the franchise tag last season, there were some reports that the New Orleans Saints could use the tag for a second year in a row, but they opted against it, setting up Williams to cash in as a free agent.

2021 performance

Williams has been a central part of the Saints defense since the team acquired him with a second-round pick in the 2017 NFL Draft. He had a career-high 74 tackles last season with two interceptions and eight passes defensed.

A versatile free safety who’s only 25, Williams has missed very little time because of injuries. He earned an 80.1 overall grade from Pro Football Focus last season.

What it means for Ravens

This is a huge signing for the Ravens, as the bulk of their secondary is either hitting free agency or on the decline. Williams is a huge piece to bring their pass defense back to prominence, but they will likely need to add some depth.