After the best season of his NFL career, cornerback Noah Igbinoghene is returning to the Washington Commanders after testing free agency.
Igbinoghene became an unrestricted free agent on Wednesday, But he is returning to Washington on a one-year contract, the Washington Post, NFL Network and ESPN reported on Thursday. Monetary terms were not disclosed.
The 30th pick of the 2020 NFL Draft, the former Auburn standout had 628 defensive snaps and 483 special-teams plays in 37 regular-season games in his first four NFL campaigns.
Last offseason in free agency, Igbinoghene followed Dan Quinn and Joe Whitt Jr. from the Dallas Cowboys to the Commanders. Acquired by the Cowboys in a trade with the Miami Dolphins on Aug. 29, 2023, Igbinoghene’s position coach in Dallas was Whitt and his defensive coordinator was Quinn in 2023. Quinn had become the head coach and Whitt the defensive coordinator for Washington for 2024.
In 2024, Igbinoghene played in every game and started 10 times in the regular season and twice in the postseason. He had 818 defensive snaps and 60 special-teams plays in regular-season action, when he recorded 55 tackles and seven pass breakups.
The Commanders lost Benjamin St-Juste to the Los Angeles Chargers in free agency this week after he started 14 games at cornerback last season. But Washington added former Auburn standout Jonathan Jones, a nine-year veteran, to its cornerback corps this week, too.
Igbinoghene was an All-State selection in the athlete slot for Hewitt-Trussville in 2016. Igbinoghene also was a track-and-field star for the Huskies, with championships in the AHSAA Class 7A boys’ indoor and outdoor long jump and triple jump as a senior among his achievements.
Coming to Auburn as a wide receiver, Igbinoghene made the switch to the secondary during spring practice in 2018 after one college season as a pass-catcher.
In Igbinoghene’s three seasons with Miami, he played in 32 games with five starts. In a 16-10 win over Pittsburgh on Oct. 23, 2022, Igbinoghene sealed the victory by making the only interception of his career in the end zone on the Steeler’s final snap.
The Dolphins dealt Igbinoghene to Dallas in exchange for cornerback Kelvin Joseph between the end of the preseason and the start of the regular season in 2023. Igbinoghene played in five games, with only 25 defensive snaps, while with the Cowboys.
In his first game with Dallas, Igbinoghene scored his first NFL touchdown as he picked up the football after a blocked field-goal attempt and ran 58 yards for a score in the Cowboys’ 40-0 victory over the New York Giants on Sept. 10.
FOR MORE OF AL.COM’S COVERAGE OF THE NFL, GO TO OURNFL PAGE
Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on X at@AMarkG1.