3 free agent WR’s the Titans should target.
The 2021 free agent class of wide receivers is loaded with talent and whether or not the Tennessee Titans bring back Corey Davis, they should take a look.
Allen Robinson, Juju Smith-Schuster, Chris Godwin, and Kenny Golladay are just some of the names who are about to enter free agency in March. Unfortunately for the Titans, the team is already about $3 million over the projected salary cap.
The good news? The cap isn’t real and the Titans are one of the teams in the NFL with the most cap flexibility through restructures.
While WR is assuredly a position of need for the Titans, the team may not have the resources to splurge in free agency this year, they also have needs at EDGE and DL that could be the first priority.
However, if they want to strip it down there are a few players who could be released that would give the Titans some financial breathing room if they want to make a big splash here. These aren’t small moves either, for example, the Titans could save upwards of $10 million by releasing CB Malcolm Butler before June 1st if the team is interested in going after a high-ticket WR.
Even if the Titans aren’t interested in one of the more expensive FA’s, this class is loaded with middle-tier options as well. There are several players available who could benefit the team who wouldn’t break the bank.
Let’s take a look at 3 options at WR for the Titans.
3. Rashard Higgins
If the Titans are interested in an impact player who won’t break the bank, Rashard Higgins is a solid choice.
Higgins finished the 2020 season with 37 catches for 599 yards and 4 TD’s while playing in 13 games for the Cleveland Browns. For reference, Higgins would’ve been third on the Titans in receiving yards, behind only A.J. Brown and Corey Davis.
Earlier I talked about players that might get cut for cap space, well Higgins has been more productive than the high-priced Adam Humphries and played for less than $1 million in 2020.
If Corey Davis indeed walks in free agency, a deep-threat like Higgins would be a valuable addition opposite A.J Brown. Spotrac projects Higgins to receive around $6 million per year, so he should be well within the Titans price range.
If there are any concerns with Higgins, it’s that he has not played a full season since 2016. His 599 yards in 2020 was also his career-high, but he’s spent his career behind players such as Jarvis Landry and Odell Beckham, among others.
Higgins wouldn’t be a home-run signing, but he’d be a quality player for an affordable price.
2. Nelson Agholor
Speaking of deep threat receivers, Nelson Agholor is once again headed for free agency.
Agholor has largely been underwhelming in his NFL career, but he seemed to hit a resurgence after signing a one year deal with the Raiders in 2020. Agholor produced a career-best 896 receiving yards for Vegas in 2020, with a whopping 18.7 yards per catch.
The Titans have not had a receiver like Agholor who can take the top off of a defense in quite some time. Adding Agholor would mean he would receive the snaps that have been given to guys like Cameron Batson and Kalif Raymond in the past.
A common flaw that seems to plague Agholor and Higgins, which is that both struggle to be consistent and often deal with nagging injuries. Still, when he is on the field he has shown flashes of being a useful player and if you are looking for a bargain he makes sense.
Agholor is coming off of a 1 year deal for slightly over $1 million. Due to his performance in 2020, he should be expecting a substantial raise in 2021. But due to his inconsistency, Agholor should still be in the affordable range for the Titans.
1. Kenny Golladay
If the Titans decide to go big, then look no further than Kenny Golladay.
Golladay only played in 5 games in 2020, but eclipsed the 1,000-yard mark in each of the 2 seasons prior. In 2019, Golladay played a full 16 games and ended up with 65 catches for 1,190 yards and 11 TD’s, solidifying himself as a number 1 receiver.
Golladay is expected to command a hefty sum during his first run at free agency. Due to his price tag and the expected competition, it would be pretty shocking if the Titans were able to lure Golladay to Nashville.
If the Titans were to let Corey Davis walk and then make some cost-cutting moves such as releasing Malcolm Butler and Adam Humphries, they could potentially position themselves at a run for the star WR. Still, you have to wonder if all of those moves would be worth it for a player that is going to have to share WR1 duties with A.J. Brown.
Also worth noting, the 2021 cap has not been officially set yet, so the Titans could end up having more money to spend than initially thought.
One thing’s for sure, Golladay would make the Titans offense that better in 2021 and that is saying something since this was already one of the best offenses in the NFL.