Jesse Minter’s arrival in Baltimore could end up meaning more than just a new voice at the top. It may also open the door for one of the Ravens’ lesser-known defenders to take a real step forward.
That player is cornerback Keyon Martin, who ESPN’s Ben Solak recently pointed to as a breakout candidate for 2026. The fit makes sense on paper.
Martin is a second-year defensive back with the kind of traits Minter has shown a willingness to use: quick eyes, quick feet, and a smaller frame that doesn’t scare the coach off. Solak described Martin as an undersized corner at 5-foot-9 and 170 pounds, but one who can still matter in the right system.
Martin spent his rookie season working as a dime corner and was often involved in pressures, so he already has a role that lines up with what Minter likes to do defensively. The bigger question is whether that can turn into something more. Solak believes it can, with Martin having a path to become Baltimore’s No. 3 corner and move ahead of Chidobe Awuzie.
If that happens, Martin would slide into the slot while Marlon Humphrey and Nate Wiggins handle the outside. That would be a meaningful jump for a player who came into the league as a 2025 undrafted signing and still carved out a place on the roster.
The rookie year was modest but promising. Martin played in 13 games and finished with 23 tackles, one sack, and one pass deflection. Awuzie, meanwhile, gave Baltimore solid production in his first season with the team, starting five of the 14 games he appeared in and recording 43 tackles and seven pass deflections.
So the competition is there, and that’s where this gets interesting. Martin doesn’t just need a good offseason; he needs a better camp than Awuzie. If he can win that battle, he’ll put himself in position for a much bigger role - and maybe a breakout season to match.
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