This offseason, the Tennessee Titans signed veteran corner Alontae Taylor to a three-year, $60 million contract in free agency, and it was a big move for both sides. For the corner, he was able to cash in after finishing his rookie contract with the New Orleans Saints, and for Tennessee, the hope is that Taylor provides some much-needed help in the secondary.
While time will tell if that’s the case, one analyst isn’t so sure it is, and is questioning the size of Taylor’s contract. That analyst is ESPN’s Seth Walder, and he recently graded each team’s offseason. For the Titans, Walder gave the team a B-, and called the signing of Alontae Taylor the move he disliked.
Titans’ signing of Alontae Taylor faces criticism ahead of training camp
Walder acknowledged that Taylor is coming off a really good season with the Saints, but the analyst’s problem is that the corner’s other seasons weren’t as productive. Walder wrapped things up by saying, “Given the year-to-year variance, I'd be very hesitant to pay this kind of money without a longer track record.”
That's certainly something to think about, and something the Titans had to consider before signing Taylor. Tennessee’s willingness to give the corner the deal they did is a sign that they aren’t as concerned with the variance Walder is speaking of, and believe that 2025 is a sign of the direction he’s headed.
Taylor, a 2022 second-round pick, had always shown promise and versatility in New Orleans, but consistency was a question. He found his way into the starting lineup as a rookie, and remained a full-time starter, starting 53 of 64 games in his time in New Orleans.
In those 64 games, Taylor recorded four interceptions, 52 pass deflections, three forced fumbles, 293 tackles, 21 tackles for a loss, and seven sacks. He showed the ability to play inside and outside, deep in coverage and behind the line of scrimmage, and that’s a skill that new head coach Robert Saleh will certainly appreciate on the defensive side of the ball.
Taylor is only 27 years old, so his best years could be ahead of him. Time will tell if that’s the case, but there will certainly be people watching in 2026 to see if he will live up to his contract.
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