Veteran Cornerback Re-Signs with the Baltimore Ravens
On March 11th, 2026, Mike Garafolo announced via X that the Baltimore Ravens have agreed to terms on a one-year, five-million-dollar, fully guaranteed deal with veteran cornerback Chidobe Awuzie. Awuzie spent the majority of his career in Dallas and Cincinnati, but spent one year each with the Titans and Ravens. Awuzie was not a starter for Baltimore’s struggling defense, but was able to step up in certain situations and play effective pass coverage. Awuzie, who will be 31 by the start of preseason, looks to play a similar role again with the Ravens this upcoming season.
Awuzie was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys in the second round of the 2017 NFL Draft out of Colorado. Awuzie battled for the starting job in Dallas, which he eventually earned, but injuries held him back, playing in 49 of the 64 possible games, starting 42. Awuzie left Dallas for Cincinnati in the 2021 Free Agency Frenzy, recording 213 tackles and four interceptions; one in each season as a Cowboy. In his first year as a Bengal, Awuzie started all 14 games that he suited up for and recorded a career-high in regular-season interceptions with two, and grabbed his only career playoff interception in the Super Bowl LVI loss to Matthew Stafford’s Rams. In 2022, Awuzie started the first eight weeks of the season but suffered a torn ACL and missed the final nine games. By 2023, Awuzie recovered and was starting next to Cam Taylor-Britt, but lost his job to DJ Turner in Week Four. When Taylor-Britt got hurt, Awuzie returned to the starting lineup for Weeks 12-17.
Awuzie completed his contract with 156 tackles, two forced fumbles, and three total interceptions, all from 2021, but tested free agency again, signing a three-year deal with the Tennessee Titans. Awuzie was signed to the Titans to start next to L’Jarius Sneed, which he did for three weeks before suffering a groin injury and missing the next nine weeks. For only starting seven of the eight games he played in 2023, 26 tackles, four pass deflections, and a pick still weren’t enough to warrant keeping the corner on such an expensive deal. He was a cap casualty in March of 2025, signing a one-year, one-million-dollar deal with the Baltimore Ravens.
In 2025, Awuzie ranked 76 out of 217 in cornerback snaps and 13 out of 114 overall according to PFF, despite starting in only five games and recording no forced turnovers or recoveries. Playing opposite of Nate Wiggins and Marlon Humphrey, Awuzie only earned a start when one or both corners went down with injuries, before suffering an accidental injury himself. The 30-year-old appeared in 14 games, recording seven pass breakups and 43 total tackles. The 2026 Ravens will not be getting a superstar in the secondary, but they will happily welcome the return of a financially friendly veteran who can fill in the gaps and play acceptable football when given the chance.
