Report: Tennessee Titans Address Pass Defense, Will Sign Bengals Cornerback Chidobe Awuzie

Chidobe Awuzie, 28, spent three seasons in Cincinnati, where Titans coach Brian Callahan was offensive coordinator. Pro Football Focus ranked Awuzie as the fourth-best free-agent cornerback available.

NASHVILLE — The Tennessee Titans have a new running back, a new center, and now a new cornerback: Chidobe Awuzie.

ESPN's Jeremy Fowler reports that Awuzie, 28, who spent the past three seasons with the  Cincinnati Bengals, is signing with the Titans. 

In 2023, Awuzie played in 15 games, started 10, and recorded 57 tackles. He also defended six passes, forced one fumble, and recovered one fumble. 

Awuzie broke up 25 passes with two interceptions across 37 games in three seasons with the Bengals. 

He was originally drafted by the Dallas Cowboys in 2017. He started 42 of 49 games.

Pro Football Focus (PFF), the sports analytics company that grade individual and team performance, ranked Awuzie as the 27th-best available free agent. PFF graded Awuzie 72nd out of 128 NFL cornerbacks. In 2021, he ranked as high as 14th.

The Titans and Awuzie agreed on a three-year deal hours after it was reported that cornerback Sean Murphy-Bunting was leaving the Titans for the Arizona Cardinals. 

In comings and goings earlier Monday:

• the Titans will sign free agent center Lloyd Cushenberry and running back Tony Pollard;
• the Titans will lose defensive end Denico Autry to the Houston Texans and Sean Murphy-Bunting to the Arizona Cardinals. 

Related Titans stories

• DENICO AUTRY TO TEXANS: Denico Autry had a career-high 11.5 sacks last season for the Tennessee Titans. Pro Football Focus (PFF) ranks Autry as the 12th-best edge rusher on the free-agent market and the 64th-best available player overall. CLICK HERE
• MURPHY-BUNTING TO ARIZONA: Sean Murphy-Bunting was a starting corner for a Tennessee Titans unit that ranked 26th in pass coverage last season. His Pro Football Focus (PFF) coverage grade was 57.6, which placed him 90th out of 127 NFL cornerbacks. CLICK HERE
• NEW RB TONY POLLARD: Tony Pollard, a Memphis native who is 26 years old, is coming off consecutive 1,000-yard rushing seasons with the Dallas Cowboys. Signing Pollard likely means certain goodbye for Tennessee Titans great Derrick Henry. CLICK HERE
• NEW CENTER LLOYD CUSHENBERRY: The Tennessee Titans reportedly will sign Denver Broncos free agent Lloyd Cushenberry, who is expected to pass protection up the middle for quarterback Will Levis. Cushenberry, who is 6-foot-4 and 315 pounds, allowed only one sack in 2023. CLICK HERE