Report: Ex-Patriot Kyle Arrington Ravens’ ‘Top Target’ At Cornerback

Kyle Arrington soon might find himself playing for his former bitter rival.

Arrington, who was released by the New England Patriots earlier this week, has generated strong interest from the Baltimore Ravens, according to ESPN.com’s Jamison Hensley.

Ravens general manager Ozzie Newsome offered a vague response Tuesday night when asked about the possibility of signing Arrington, telling reporters in a conference call that there are “a lot of players available right now that I have been on the phone talking to representatives of.”

Yet Hensley believes Arrington heading to Baltimore is a strong possibility.

“Newsome rarely gives out much information when talking about the team’s plans, but there’s a little intrigue at this point,” Hensley wrote Wednesday. “Newsome and coach John Harbaugh both acknowledged the interest to add another cornerback, and the top target is clearly Arrington.”

The Ravens have expressed interest in adding a cornerback despite drafting Texas Southern’s Tray Walker in the fourth round of this year’s NFL draft, and Arrington is a top candidate to fill the team’s nickelback role alongside starting corners Jimmy Smith and Lardarius Webb.

“We are still looking for defensive backs,” Harbaugh said recently, via ESPN. “There’s no doubt about it. We want to add some competition in there. Ozzie is working on that right now. Ozzie has said, ‘We’re not finished there.'”

Arrington carved out solid five-year tenure as a versatile slot corner in New England after going undrafted out of Hofstra in 2008 and started all three of the Patriots’ playoff games last season, including Super Bowl XLIX.

If the 28-year-old does sign with Baltimore, however, a rematch with his former squad would have to wait, as the Ravens don’t play the Patriots in the 2015 regular season.

Thumbnail photo via Stew Milne/USA TODAY Sports Images