Baltimore, MD – May 24, 2025 – With Ar’Darius Washington sidelined by a torn Achilles, a critical piece of Baltimore’s defensive identity is suddenly missing. And the fight to fill it is now one of the most underrated position battles of the offseason.
Two under-the-radar names — Sanoussi Kane and Beau Brade — are preparing to clash for the job of third safety when Ravens OTAs begin this Tuesday. On paper, it’s a competition between two unproven players. But within the system, it’s a decision that could shape how Zach Orr’s defense operates all season.
Washington’s role was far more important than his size suggested. His presence allowed Baltimore to deploy a true three-safety look that freed up All-Pro Kyle Hamilton to roam, disguise coverage, and dominate in hybrid alignments. Without that flexibility, the entire structure shifts. According to Glenn Erby of Ravens Wire, “Baltimore likes to employ a third safety in their base defense, allowing Kyle Hamilton to be a Swiss army knife in Zach Orr’s versatile scheme.”
Both Kane and Brade bring the physicality required for that job. Kane, a seventh-round pick in 2024, turned heads in the preseason, earning a 73.4 coverage grade from Pro Football Focus. He didn’t allow a single reception on 30 snaps in coverage and contributed with a forced incompletion and a tackle for loss. More importantly, he made noise on special teams — literally — with a violent hit against the Eagles that had the coaching staff buzzing.
Brade, meanwhile, logged just 11 defensive snaps as a rookie but played 207 on special teams. He’s a relentless, downhill striker with the kind of aggressive edge that fits Baltimore’s ethos. The challenge for both is less about impact and more about range — how much of the field they can cover, how quickly they diagnose, how reliably they rotate in the deep third.
“Orr wants to bring back the three-safety packages that Baltimore thrived with in 2023,” noted Kyle Crabbs of AtoZ Sports. “Washington’s injury thrusts the third safety spot back under the microscope.”
If neither Kane nor Brade can claim the job convincingly, Baltimore may have to explore free agency to maintain the personnel grouping that helped fix a leaky pass defense late last season. Doing so would also keep Marlon Humphrey outside where he’s most effective, instead of pushing him into the slot out of necessity — a scenario that becomes more likely if the third safety role goes unresolved.
With rookie Malaki Starks expected to start opposite Hamilton, the Ravens aren’t lacking for talent in the secondary. But depth, versatility, and scheme execution will hinge on whether one of these two “thumpers” can elevate their game. If not, Baltimore may be forced into a move they hoped to avoid.
