On Wednesday, the Tennessee Titans moved cornerback Chidobe Awuzie to the team’s “Designated for Return” list, marking an important step in his recovery. This designation opens a three-week window for Awuzie to begin practicing with the team again, but he won’t count against the Titans’ 53-man roster until he is activated from Injured Reserve (IR). Awuzie is now eligible to return to practice immediately, giving the coaching staff a chance to assess his readiness for game action.

Head coach Brian Callahan expressed optimism about Awuzie’s recovery, stating that the team hopes he can return to the field sooner rather than later. “The hope would be that he could come back and return relatively quickly, prior to the three-week window opening,” Callahan said. “But we’ll see; he has to get out and practice, and we’ll gauge how he responds.” The team is hopeful that Awuzie’s return will not take the full three-week window.

Awuzie, who was signed by the Titans this offseason after stints with the Cowboys and Bengals, played in the first three games of the season. Unfortunately, he suffered a groin injury against the Packers on September 22, which led to his placement on IR on September 27. The Titans are looking forward to his return as they prepare for their next game against the Washington Commanders on Sunday, hoping to strengthen their defensive backfield for the rest of the season.