The Tennessee Titans have struggled throughout the 2024 NFL season, sitting at 2-8 following their Week 11 loss to the Minnesota Vikings. Luckily, the organization has resources to drastically improve the roster this offseason, including the eighth-most projected cap space in the league at over $72 million, per Spotrac.
While the Titans look to have significant cap space available, they have only 30 players under contract from their 53 man roster (fewest in the NFL) through next season. Given the number of open roster spots, the team may be more inclined to look for bargains instead of the splash signings we saw during the 2024 offseason such as Calvin Ridley, Lloyd Cushenberry, and the new contract for trade acquisition L'Jarius Sneed.
The Titans have holes in the starting lineup and lack quality depth throughout much of the roster. The following potential free agent additions would help to fill immediate and long-term needs as the team looks to rebuild.
Asante Samuel Jr., CB
Los Angeles Chargers cornerback Asante Samuel Jr. entered this season eyeing a big extension after a successful start to his NFL career. Over the 2022 and 2023 seasons, the Florida State alum ranked 12th among all cornerbacks in PFF's coverage grade. Following a coaching change for the Chargers, Samuel Jr. has struggled and now finds himself on injured reserve with a shoulder injury.
Samuel Jr. is known as a physical corner in coverage and a playmaker around the football, having recorded multiple interceptions in each of his first three seasons. For a Titans team that ranks 31st in the NFL in turnovers and turnover differential, the Florida native would fill the need for a ball hawk on the defensive side of the ball. Samuel Jr. is a natural playing press coverage and would fit well in defensive coordinator Dennard Wilson's scheme that prioritizes physicality among cornerbacks.
The Titans return their top four cornerbacks in 2025 with L'Jarius Sneed, Chidobe Awuzie, Roger McCreary, and Jarvis Brownlee Jr. all under contract. The team will look to add to this solid unit given the injuries that Sneed and Awuzie have dealt with over the past two seasons as well as the lack of depth behind this group. The Titans have only those four corners currently under contract according to Spotrac.
Awuzie, McCreary, and Sneed all have a history of playing safety at various levels and could be candidates to play more versatile roles next season. The team will also have to look toward the 2026 offseason when McCreary is a free agent while Awuzie and Sneed have potential outs in their contract. The Titans need more depth at defensive back and Samuel Jr. would be a quality addition to that room. At only 25 years old, Samuel Jr. would provide immediate help as a long-term solution.