Ravens trade DT C.J. Okoye to Giants for 2028 seventh-round pick

The trade

The Baltimore Ravens traded defensive tackle C.J. Okoye to the New York Giants on August 29, 2026, in exchange for a 2028 seventh-round draft pick. The move came as teams worked to finalize their 53-man rosters ahead of the NFL’s cutdown deadline on Sunday. Okoye was traded hours after recovering a fumble during Baltimore’s preseason victory over the Washington Commanders.

Okoye’s background and NFL path

Okoye, 24, entered professional football through the NFL’s International Pathway Program and is a native of Nigeria. He first broke into the league with the Los Angeles Chargers in 2023, spending two seasons on their practice squad. In his first preseason game as a professional, he recorded a sack against Rams quarterback Stetson Bennett and was awarded the game ball. He signed with Baltimore in 2025, starting the season on the practice squad before being promoted to the active roster in October.

What Okoye provided in Baltimore

In his first season with the Ravens in 2025, Okoye appeared in 15 games, recording 15 tackles and one pass breakup. He made a positive impression on coach John Harbaugh during his time in Baltimore.

Why the trade makes sense

The trade reunites Okoye with Harbaugh, who recently became head coach of the Giants. According to CBS Sports, the Ravens made the move hours after recovering from the preseason game, and instead of releasing Okoye and receiving nothing in return as they faced roster cuts, Baltimore secured a draft pick while helping their former coach. The Giants, meanwhile, acquired depth at defensive tackle at minimal cost—a move CBS Sports noted they could have pursued through waivers but instead chose to secure proactively to prevent another team from signing Okoye off the waiver wire.

Sources

• Yahoo Sports — Ravens trade DT C.J. Okoye to Giants · Giants acquire massive run-stopping DT from Baltimore Ravens · Giants add defensive lineman C.J. Okoye in trade with Ravens
• CBS Sports
• NBC Sports

Featured photo: Tony Webster via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0)