Yardbarker
x
Ravens Three Most Underrated Offseason Moves
Tennessee Titans cornerback Chidobe Awuzie (13) intercepts the ball during the first quarter at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tenn., Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024. Denny Simmons / The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Ravens Three Most Underrated Offseason Moves

Originally posted on Baltimore Ravens on SI
By Josh Reed  |  Last updated Jun 2, 2025 4:00 PM ET

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.

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.

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.

This article first appeared on Baltimore Ravens on SI and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads:

Customize Your Newsletter

Yardbarker +

Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams. Emailed daily. Always free!

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.