NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The Titans have $81.5 million in effective cap space.
Fans want home runs. Big names.
And Tennessee should land some.
But history says the splash isn’t what changes this franchise.
If Alec Pierce reaches the market, the Titans should be at the front of the line for the big-play receiver. Tyler Linderbaum would be a settling force for an offensive line that remains in need of work. Trey Hendrickson will be 32 before the season is over, but there is no question he can get to the quarterback.
Those players will command premium contracts. If the Titans land one or two, they will likely be the high bidder. That’s the cost of having this many roster holes.
But before we assume the Titans’ path back is star hunting, consider their free-agent history.
We’ve seen
Big-ticket misses
Lloyd Cushenberry
Bud Dupree
Andy Levitre
Yancey Thigpen (as an Oiler)
Those guys were supposed to be the best available at their positions and didn’t live up to the billing.
Rehabilitation gambles that failed
Vic Beasley
Andre Dillard
Michael Oher
Jamal Adams
Huge exception: Kyle Vanden-Bosch.
There weren’t huge expectations for Adams. But when the Titans got so little out of the others, it hurt.
Value signings who became core pieces
Delanie Walker
Ben Jones
Logan Ryan
Malcolm Butler
Nate Washington
Chris Hope
David Thornton
The Titans’ most influential free agents weren’t headline signings. They were players who fit. They helped the team develop a culture and delivered with production while playing their best football in Nashville.
Not enough incoming stars, we can say for sure. But the players of influence are some of the best in team history and the Titans didn’t find them big-game hunting.
The Titans are probably not in as good a shape as the Patriots, Bears or Jaguars were a year ago. All three made dramatic jumps into the playoffs under first-year head coaches, as the Titans have. The Patriots and the Bears were guided by young QBs, as the Titans will be with Cam Ward.
Those teams spent to improve, but none of them built solely on stars.
New England
The Patriots spent the most, giving interior lineman Milton Williams $63 million guaranteed, receiver Stefon Diggs $22.6 million guaranteed, edge Harold Landry $26 million guaranteed and offensive lineman Morgan Moses $11 million guaranteed.
Those four were key components of the transformation for sure.
That was $123.5 million guaranteed and $69.7 million in average annual value for four players. Diggs will reportedly be released.
Chicago
Of the Bears’ five most costly additions, two came by trade and we will account for them here.
Edge Dayo Odeyingbo — $29.5 M guaranteed, $16 M average
DT Grady Jarrett — $27.3 M guaranteed, $14.2 M average
C Drew Dalman — $26.5 M guaranteed, $14 M average
*G Joe Thuney — $33.5 M guaranteed, $17 M average
*T Jonah Jackson — $24.5 million guaranteed, $17.7 M average
That totals $141 million guaranteed and $78.7 in averages. Dalman is retiring, so Chicago will recoup money on his and need a replacement.
Jacksonville
The Jaguars didn’t come close to the Patriots or Bears.
G Patrick Mekari — $20 M guaranteed, $12.5 M average
CB Jourdan Lewis — $20.9 M guaranteed, $10 M average
C Robert Hainsey — $13 M guaranteed, $7 M average
S Eric Murray — $10 M guarantees, $6.5 M average
WR Dyami Brown — $9.5 M guaranteed, $10 M average
That's $69.5 M guaranteed and a $46 M average for five guys.
Those are 14 big additions to three teams that improved by an average of 8.3 wins. Only one of them, Thuney, was an All-Pro.
The Titans' 53-man roster is riddled with holes. Its starting 22 is patchy. A couple of expensive proven stars would be great. But it will take more than that—smarter work finding mid-tier hits who become the spine of the team. Nevermind the price. Find the fits.
