Ravens Trade Defensive Lineman C.J. Okoye to Giants for 2028 Draft Pick
By Brian Hradsky | Maryland Sports Blog
The Baltimore Ravens have turned one of their difficult roster decisions into future draft capital.
Baltimore traded defensive lineman C.J. Okoye to the New York Giants on Saturday in exchange for a 2028 seventh-round draft pick, according to the Ravens and multiple reports. The move comes as Baltimore works toward Sunday’s 6 p.m. deadline to trim its roster to 53 players.
The trade sends Okoye to a familiar situation. Former Ravens head coach John Harbaugh, now coaching the Giants, worked with Okoye in Baltimore last season. Giants defensive line coach Dennis Johnson also coached Okoye with the Ravens.
For Baltimore, the trade is another example of getting something in return for a player who faced a difficult path to the final roster.
Okoye’s remarkable path to the NFL
Okoye has one of the more unusual backgrounds of any player who has recently worn a Ravens uniform.
Born in Nigeria, Okoye did not play college football. The massive 6-foot-6, 365-pound defensive lineman entered the NFL through the league’s International Player Pathway program after previously playing basketball. He initially joined the Los Angeles Chargers organization before eventually landing with Baltimore.
The Ravens signed Okoye in January 2025, and he eventually worked his way from the practice squad onto the 53-man roster.
Okoye appeared in 13 games for Baltimore in 2025, recording 15 total tackles — seven solo and eight assisted — along with one pass defended. He did not start a game but became part of Baltimore’s defensive line rotation.
Considering how little organized football Okoye had played before reaching the NFL, simply becoming a contributor on Baltimore’s defense represented significant development.
Now that development has produced an asset for the Ravens.
Strong preseason finale came just before trade
The timing is particularly interesting because Okoye finished his Ravens tenure with one of his better performances.
Baltimore crushed the Washington Commanders 41-3 Friday night to complete an undefeated preseason. On Washington’s first offensive play, Ravens outside linebacker Ethan Burke forced running back Kaytron Allen to fumble, and Okoye recovered it.
Baltimore converted the turnover into a touchdown. Okoye also recorded a tackle and quarterback hit in the victory.
It was exactly the type of performance a player on the roster bubble wants in the final preseason game.
Apparently, the Giants noticed.
Rather than waiting to see whether Baltimore would release Okoye during final cuts, New York guaranteed it would get him by sending the Ravens a future seventh-round selection.
Ravens’ defensive-line depth created difficult decisions
The trade is also an indication of Baltimore’s depth.
Okoye was fighting for a position in what Ravens head coach Jesse Minter had described as the team’s most competitive position group.
That put Baltimore in an advantageous situation.
When a player performs well enough to interest another NFL team but may not have a place on your 53-man roster, trading him is preferable to simply releasing him and receiving nothing.
A 2028 seventh-round pick is obviously not a major asset by itself. However, Baltimore has historically valued accumulating draft selections, and late-round picks can also become useful currency in future trades.
If the Ravens had already determined Okoye was unlikely to survive the final numbers crunch, getting anything in return is a positive outcome.
Reunion with John Harbaugh
For Okoye, New York could be an excellent landing spot.
Harbaugh already knows exactly what he is getting.
The Giants coach described Okoye as an inside defender capable of playing in the A and B gaps and praised his physical ability, work ethic and development. Harbaugh sees him primarily as a run defender who can also push the pocket.
That description fits Okoye perfectly.
At roughly 365 pounds, he provides enormous size in the middle of a defensive front. He remains relatively inexperienced compared with most NFL players his age, meaning there may still be considerable room for development.
New York also had a clear reason to seek help against the run. The Giants ranked second-to-last in run defense last season and have been reshaping the interior of their defensive line.
The familiarity should help Okoye make the transition quickly.
Baltimore’s roster crunch continues
The Okoye trade will not be Baltimore’s final roster move.
The Ravens must get down to the NFL’s 53-player limit by 6 p.m. Sunday, leaving the front office and coaching staff with several more decisions following an impressive preseason.
Baltimore could also continue exploring trades rather than simply releasing players who have value around the league.
That is one of the benefits of having a deep roster.
Okoye played well enough to make a legitimate case for himself. Instead of that creating a problem for Baltimore, the Ravens turned it into another draft pick.
MSB Take
This is good business by the Ravens.
C.J. Okoye has been a great developmental story, and his performance against Washington showed that he belongs in the NFL. But Baltimore has to build the best 53-man roster possible, and there simply are not enough spots for every player who performed well this summer.
If the Ravens were leaning toward cutting Okoye, getting a seventh-round pick is unquestionably better than losing him for nothing.
It is also a good move for Okoye. He goes to a Giants organization led by John Harbaugh and Dennis Johnson, two coaches who already know his strengths and understand how far he has come since entering the league through the International Player Pathway program.
Baltimore gets another draft asset. New York gets a massive developmental defensive tackle. Okoye gets another legitimate opportunity.
That is a trade that makes sense for everyone involved.
Follow Maryland Sports Blog at www.marylandsportsblog.com for continuing Ravens coverage as Baltimore finalizes its 53-man roster.
