Ravens Coach Praises Underrated Offseason Addition

Of the two veteran free agent cornerbacks that the Baltimore Ravens signed during the offseason, it's completely understandable why Jaire Alexander is garnering most of the fanfare and hype. He's a two-time Pro Bowler who has already ingratiated himself with the team and its culture on and off the field.

However, fans and pundits shouldn't overlook the presence and potential impact of ninth-year veteran Chidobe Awuzie, who was the first of the two salary cap casualties to get signed by the Ravens back in March.

While he has yet to have a practice with multiple interceptions like Alexander did on Saturday, Awuzie has still impressed with his playmaking ability and positional versatility. Even though he has predominantly played outside corner throughout his career, the Ravens believe he has what it takes to be deployed in a more diverse role, given his size, speed and knowledge of the game.

"His football IQ is off the charts," Ravens senior defensive assistant and secondary coach Chuck Pagano said Saturday. "We've worked him in there a little bit at dimebacker. I don't know if you guys have noticed that. He's certainly a guy that ... He's a quick study. He's played for a long, long time, so he understands. He knows how to play. He's always in the right spot. So, [if] you get in a pinch, you can't have enough guys like 'Chido' that have versatility, position flexibility like that. So, that's a bonus for us for sure."

The Ravens pride themselves on being as schematically flexible as possible, which requires them to have players capable of not only learning but also excelling at multiple positions. Two of their best players on defense are a pair of defensive backs who are at their best and most impactful from the slot, but are elite playing elsewhere as well, in safety Kyle Hamilton and corner Marlon Humphrey.

Awuzie is returning to the AFC North after one season away, having played for the Cincinnati Bengals from 2021 to 2023, which included a run to the Super Bowl in his first year with the team. A grown injury limited him to just eight games in his lone season with the Tennessee Titans last year, but he was still able to put some good plays on tape.