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The only veteran player the Baltimore Ravens spent a considerable amount of cap space on was two-time Pro Bowl left tackle Ronnie Stanley who they re-signed to a three-year deal worth $60 million. In the 2025 NFL Draft, their top two picks have garnered most of the fanfare as both Malaki Starks and Mike Green project to be immediate impact players on defense.
While big-name veterans on new teams and first-round rookies dominate headlines during this stage of the offseason, the moves that flew under the radar or got overshadowed by more notable ones could prove to be just as, if not more, impactful in some cases. With that in mind, here are three of the Ravens' most underrated moves of the offseason:
CB Chidobe Awuzie
The No. 3 cornerback spot in the Ravens' defense is essentially a starting role given how dynamic two-time First Team All Pro veteran Marlon Humphrey is at playing the nickel spot. It requires someone else to play opposite of 2024 first-rounder and rising star Nate Wiggins when Humphrey moves inside. After letting two-year starter Branden Stephens walk in free agency to sign with the New York Jets, the Ravens brought in Awuzie, an experienced player with 87 career starts, including postseason games, and familiarity with the AFC North, having played for the Cincinnati Bengals for three seasons from 2021 to 2023.
Originally drafted by the Dallas Cowboys in the 2017 NFL Draft, the eight-year veteran most recently played for the Tennessee Titans in 2024 where he appeared in eight games and made seven starts during which he recorded 26 total tackles, four pass breakups, a forced fumble and an interception. While Awuzie has struggled with injuries at times during his career, he was such a great value addition on an inexpensive one-year deal that won't hurt the compensatory pick formula because he was a salary cap casualty who they got on a one-year deal worth just $1.25 million.
A groin injury limited Chidobe Awuzie to just eight games last year, but here are a few clips from his season with the Titans. pic.twitter.com/zaNTVGR72t
— Ryan Mink (@ryanmink) March 25, 2025
WR/RS LaJohntay Wester
In 2024, the Ravens were banking on former All Pro veteran Deonte Harty to replace homegrown two-time Pro Bowl return specialist, Devin Duvernay, who they let walk in free agency last offseason. Unfortunately, injuries prevented him from staying on the field and having much of an impact and the team wound up having a lackluster revolving door at the key special teams role. Enter Wester who they selected with the third of their five picks in the sixth round in this year's draft. The former University of Colorado and Florida Atlantic University standout is not just an explosive punt returner but he possesses dynamic and electric playmaking ability on offense as well.
.@CUBuffsFootball ➡️ Ravens@la_wester | More highlights https://t.co/BR753EVtZA pic.twitter.com/dF9bO6VXRF
— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) April 28, 2025
In a Ravens offense under Todd Monken that emphasizes getting skill players out in space, Wester could be an all-purpose weapon who makes his presence felt in both phases of the game. He'd be an ideal backup for Zay Flowers specifically with the similar way he can be deployed in motion and screens, an element the unit didn't have in the playoffs after their star Pro Bowl wideout suffered a knee injury in the regular season finale.
OT Joseph Noteboom
The Ravens were fortunate not to have needed the services of veteran swing tackle Josh Jones last season aside from as an extra blocker in heavy packages or cleanup duty at the end of lopsided victories. However, that doesn't mean that will be the case for the second year in a row as last season was the first of Stanley's career in which he played every single game including the playoffs. Prior to his resurgent 2024 campaign, the nine-year veteran had struggled to stay on the field due to injuries missing 38 games from 2020-2023.
Even though they added three offensive linemen in this year's draft including two who were career tackles in college in third-rounder Emery Jones and fifth-rounder Carson Vinson, adding an experienced depth option like Noteboom was a wise post-draft move that deserves more praise. The seven-year veteran comes with 35 games or starting experience with the Los Angeles Rams which is over half of his career games and which includes a 2021 Super Bowl run. The fact that they were able to get him on a steal of a deal at one year for just $2 million makes the move look even more savvy.
More must-reads:
- Five best NFL offseason value signings on offense: Bills get great deal with RB extension
- Dolphins humiliated by Lions at joint practice
- The '2023 NFL AP second-team All-Pro' quiz
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TODAY'S BEST
Cowboys fans won't like Jerry Jones' update on Micah Parsons standoff
With the regular season approaching, the Dallas Cowboys should be aiming to extend EDGE Micah Parsons promptly. But they're still in no rush to do that. Parsons is set to play on the fifth-year option of his rookie contract in 2025 and has requested a trade. Dallas insists it has no plans to move the 26-year-old pass-rusher but hasn't clarified when it will extend him. Giving him a new deal before the regular-season opener against the Philadelphia Eagles on Sept. 4 at 8:20 p.m. ET (NBC, Peacock) seems wise. Dallas owner Jerry Jones, however, said that's not the team's deadline, nor does it need one. "No, not at all," Jones said Wednesday, via Jonah Javad of WFAA-TV in Dallas. "You don't have deadlines when you're playing under contract." Parsons is under contract, but that doesn't mean he must suit up. The EDGE could hold out of regular-season games, like former Cowboys star running back Emmitt Smith did in 1993. The Pro Football Hall of Famer missed the first two games of the season before becoming the league's highest-paid RB at that time. Parsons hasn't said whether he would hold out of regular-season games, but it's apparent he's unhappy with where things stand. "My mouth is closed," Parsons said Wednesday while leaving the practice field in Oxnard, California, via Field Level Media. Jones didn't say if talks with Parsons would resume when the Cowboys return to Texas for their second preseason game against the Baltimore Ravens. The matchup is scheduled for Saturday at 7 p.m. ET. The owner still seems confident Parsons will play on the fifth-year option if Dallas doesn't sign him before the start of the regular season. "Again, all you've got to go on are contracts," Jones said. "We are negotiating for a contract. When you do a contract, you would hope that after a negotiation, that's what both the team and player look to see what our obligations are. I have a lot of respect for the contract." Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott and wide receiver CeeDee Lamb played the last years of their rookie contracts. Perhaps Jones wants Parsons to do the same. Still, that would be silly. Paying the four-time Pro Bowler should be a no-brainer for the Cowboys, so they should stop wasting time and show him the money.
Former Lakers, Clippers Big Man Joins Phoenix Suns in New Career Path
One of the most lopsided trades of the last decade in the NBA was a "hallway" trade between the Lakers and Clippers. NBA veteran Mike Muscala was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers in exchange for Ivica Zubac, a young center at the time who needed development, along with Michael Beasley. In a win-now move for the Lakers in their first season with LeBron James, they gave up on a young center that showed promise, for a stretch big that the Lakers felt could help them get to the playoffs.
Troubling news emerges on Bears QB Caleb Williams’ workout with HC Ben Johnson
It might have been a good thing the Chicago Bears didn’t play Caleb Williams on Sunday. The Bears might need to hide their second-year quarterback as he irons out his wrinkles in the pre-snap process and with accuracy issues. The No. 1 pick in the 2024 draft struggled with timing and accuracy during the Bears’ joint practice with the Miami Dolphins on Friday. Caleb Williams was inaccurate in the red zone against no defenders On Sunday, Chicago Bears head coach Ben Johnson chose not to play second-year quarterback Caleb Williams against the Dolphins in their first preseason game. Instead, Johnson led a workout with Williams and wide receivers Rome Odunze and DJ Moore before the game. Per Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune, the Bears ran a total of 87 plays during the workout. All of the plays were routes in the air with no defenders on the field for the scripted practice. Despite going against no defenders bringing pressure or guarding his receivers, Williams struggled to hit his targets in the red zone. "Williams would stand next to Johnson, who would give him the play," Biggs wrote. "Then, the quarterback simulated a huddle with the player (only one ran a route on each snap) and gave the play call. They’d break the huddle, go to the line of scrimmage, Williams would simulate pre-snap actions and then the play would be run… "Before ending the session with eight deep balls, there was a 25-play set of snaps in the red zone. One thing Williams struggled to connect on was out routes to Moore and Odunze near the goal line. Those throws were not close and Williams consistently led the receivers too much." A closed-door problem for the Chicago Bears The throws weren’t close during routes on air… in the red zone? Williams wasn’t ready to take the field for the preseason game. For all of the flak he’s been getting from practice reports, the quarterback would have been relentlessly mocked for having these issues shown during an NFL Network broadcast. Biggs’ report is troubling, with a month to go before the season. Williams has much to improve upon, and the Bears are very much trying to do so without cameras present for a reason.
Phillies superstar may be building Hall of Fame case
Philadelphia Phillies designated hitter Kyle Schwarber is in the midst of another impressive season. Schwarber entered Wednesday having posted a .249/.373/.578 batting line in his 528 plate appearances this season, hitting 42 homers while driving in a National League-leading 97 runs. The Phillies slugger was named to his third All-Star Game this season and, according to NBA Hall of Famer Charles Barkley, he should be the NL MVP. Schwarber has been one of baseball's premier power hitters since establishing himself in the majors in 2017. He's in his eighth season of hitting 30 or more homers and has reached the 40-homer plateau three times in his four seasons in Philadelphia. The 32-year-old Schwarber may find himself in elite company when his career comes to an end. He has already hit 326 homers in his career, potentially giving him a chance to reach the 500-home run plateau. If Schwarber does hit 500-plus homers, the narrative around his career may change. There have only been 28 players in MLB history to reach that plateau, 19 of whom are in the Hall of Fame. Two players — Albert Pujols and Miguel Cabrera — are not yet eligible and are expected to be enshrined on the first ballot. The seven players who have not been inducted into the Hall of Fame have been linked to PED use, torpedoing their candidacy. At the same time, his entire candidacy may be based on his home run total. Schwarber has a lifetime .232/.346/.499 batting line over 5,188 plate appearances; although batting average no longer carries much weight for the voters, he would have the lowest batting average of any non-pitcher in the Hall. His 20.7 fWAR has been dragged down by his defense and is unlikely to make him a favorite among the younger voters who put more emphasis on such metrics. Schwarber is marching toward the 500-home run plateau. If he does reach that mark, he could be a polarizing Hall of Fame candidate.
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