Amani Oruwariye

Baltimore Ravens Sign Veteran DB Amani Oruwariye To Practice Squad

Justin Rimpi

The Baltimore Ravens just made a move that screams, “We’re not panicking, but we’re definitely not messing around either.” With their secondary looking more banged up than a car after a demolition derby, the Ravens signed veteran cornerback Amani Oruwariye to their practice squad on Wednesday. And honestly? It’s about time they did something.

Why Oruwariye Makes Perfect Sense Right Now

When your top two cornerbacks go down faster than a house of cards in a hurricane, you don’t sit around hoping for miracles. Marlon Humphrey is nursing a calf injury that will keep him sidelined for a couple of weeks, and Nate Wiggins is dealing with an elbow issue that had him leaving the Kansas City game early.

That is where Oruwariye comes in clutch. The 29-year-old veteran isn’t just some random guy they pulled off the street – he’s got legitimate NFL chops with 61 career games under his belt and 40 starts. More importantly, he knows how to find the football when it matters most.

Remember that beautiful interception he snagged off Lamar Jackson back in 2021 when he was with Detroit? Yeah, that guy. Now he’s potentially suiting up to help Jackson instead of picking him off. Football’s funny like that.

The Numbers Don’t Lie About Oruwariye’s Ball Skills

Here is what makes this signing more than just a desperate move: Oruwariye has serious ball-hawking ability. We’re talking 10 career interceptions and 27 pass breakups over his seven-year career. His best season came in 2021 with the Lions when he led the team with six picks and finished third in the entire league.

That kind of production doesn’t just disappear overnight. Even last season with Dallas, splitting time between the bench and starting lineup, he still managed to snag an interception that sealed a win against the Giants. The man knows how to make plays when the lights are brightest.

Ravens Secondary Desperately Needs Depth

Let’s be brutally honest about where Baltimore stands right now. Humphrey, their four-time Pro Bowl cornerback who led the AFC with six interceptions last season, is out. Wiggins, who’s been their most consistent defender this year with team-leading stats in picks and pass breakups, is questionable at best.

Wednesday’s practice was basically a horror movie for Ravens fans – all three of their top corners were missing from the field, including veteran Chidobe Awuzie. When you are potentially looking at practice squad callups for a crucial Week 5 matchup against Houston, you know things have gone sideways fast.

Oruwariye brings that veteran presence and familiarity with similar defensive systems. He spent time with Tennessee during the offseason, working under the same defensive coordinator (Dennard Wilson) who was in Baltimore last season. That’s not just convenient – that’s smart roster construction.

The Eric Kendricks Situation Adds Another Layer

While we’re talking about reinforcements, let’s address the elephant in the room: Eric Kendricks turning down Baltimore’s practice squad offer. The veteran linebacker visited, got an offer, and basically said “thanks, but no thanks” before flying home the next morning.

This one stings a little. With Roquan Smith dealing with a Grade 2 hamstring strain, the Ravens desperately need linebacker depth. Kendricks has over 1,100 career tackles and is still in solid shape after offseason shoulder surgery. But apparently, starting on the practice squad wasn’t appealing to the 33-year-old veteran.

Nobody wants to feel like they’re taking a step backward, but when you’re trying to extend your career and a quality organization offers you a chance to prove yourself, maybe swallowing some pride isn’t the worst thing in the world.

What This Means Moving Forward

The Oruwariye signing shows the Ravens front office isn’t sitting on their hands waiting for injuries to magically heal. They are being proactive about addressing weaknesses before they become catastrophic problems.

With Houston coming to town Sunday, there’s a real chance we see Oruwariye elevated from the practice squad and thrown right into the fire. The Texans aren’t exactly a pushover offense, and Baltimore needs every available body who can cover receivers and make plays on the ball.

This move also demonstrates something important about how the Ravens operate – they value experience and ball skills over pure athleticism. Oruwariye might not be the fastest guy on the field anymore, but he understands route concepts and has a nose for the football that can’t be taught. The Ravens are making the smart, unglamorous moves that championship-caliber teams make when adversity hits. Sometimes that’s exactly what separates contenders from pretenders.

Justin has been a sportswriter for nearly a decade. He has previously written for 247 Sports an Sports Illustrated.

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