Baltimore Ravens general manager Ozzie Newsome was asked Tuesday night about the team's interest in recently released cornerback Kyle Arrington.

"There are a lot of players available right now that I have been on the phone talking to representatives of," Newsome said in a conference call with season-ticket holders.

Newsome rarely gives out much information when talking about the team's plans, but there's a little intrigue at this point. Newsome and coach John Harbaugh both acknowledged the interest to add another cornerback, and the top target is clearly Arrington (pictured) after he was surprisingly released by the New England Patriots on Monday.

In terms of the free agents available, it's Arrington and there's everyone else. He's a tough cover man who is strong in run support and on special teams. Arrington can fill the void at nickelback and serve as quality insurance if Jimmy Smith or Lardarius Webb get injured.

The other viable options are Tarell Brown, a four-year starter for the Raiders and 49ers who is coming off season-ending foot injury, and Carlos Rogers, a 33-year-old defender who was limited to seven games last season because of a knee injury. The Ravens can also bring back the likes of Antoine Cason or Danny Gorrer.

No one is suggesting Arrington is a Pro Bowl cornerback, but he might as well be viewed that way when looking at the alternatives. For that reason, Arrington isn't going to come cheap. He's going to want to get as close to that $3 million that he was originally scheduled to earn this year with New England. Every cornerback-needy team is going to pursue Arrington, and there is still a chance Arrington will return to the Patriots on a cheaper deal, according to ESPN Patriots reporter Mike Reiss.

The Ravens have the cap room to sign Arrington. When Baltimore signed Smith to a four-year, $48 million extension last month, the Ravens reduced Smith's cap number by $3.2 million. The Ravens should use a chunk of that space to get a tested veteran like Arrington.

Cornerback was the weak link last season, and it remains the biggest concern right now. Free agents such as Perrish Cox and Cary Williams -- whose deals averaged over $5 million per season -- were too expensive. Top draft picks such as Kevin Johnson and Marcus Peters didn't fall to the Ravens in the first round.

The Ravens drafted Texas Southern's Tray Walker in the fourth round, but it's unknown how much impact he can provide as a rookie. Baltimore understands the need for experienced depth at that position. When the Ravens won the Super Bowl in 2012, they were able to withstand the season-ending knee injury to Webb because they still had Williams, Smith and Corey Graham.

Right now, the Ravens have Smith, Webb and some question marks. The hope is for Asa Jackson or Rashaan Melvin to step into the nickelback role, but there are no guarantees of that happening.

It's clear the Ravens need Arrington. It's just a matter of whether they can make it happen.

"We are still looking for defensive backs," Harbaugh said. "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.'"