Chidobe Awuzie will follow Brian Callahan from Cincinnati to Tennessee. The veteran corner has agreed to a three-year deal with the Titans, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports.
After Awuzie served as a vital presence in Cincinnati during its Super Bowl LVI run, the Bengals saw this contract deliver diminishing returns over the following two years. A Halloween 2022 ACL tear threw Awuzie off track, and after he returned in time for Week 1 in 2023, Lou Anarumo benched the former second-rounder around midseason.
The 6-foot defender received a second chance down the stretch and fared better. Awuzie played at least 97% of the Bengals’ defensive snaps in five of six games from Thanksgiving to New Year’s Day. Still, with the Bengals having drafted two outside CBs early in the past two drafts (Cam Taylor-Britt, DJ Turner), it was clear his future wasn’t in Cincy.
As Callahan looks to fill out his first Titans squad, the former Bengals OC was surely looking for some reinforcement at cornerback. Kristian Fulton isn’t expected to be back in Tennesee next season while Sean Murphy-Bunting left to join the Cardinals.
The Titans can hang their hat on Pro Football Focus grading Awuzie 14th in 2021 and 33rd prior to his ACL tear. He’ll also be nearly two years removed from the injury next season, reducing any health concerns.