The Tennessee Titans are essentially starting from scratch at cornerback this offseason. General manager Mike Borgonzi signaled his intention to totally revamp the position by trading Roger McCreary and Jarvis Brownlee Jr. during the 2025 season. He's also expected to release the overpaid L'Jarius Sneed this offseason, who was acquired by the previous regime.
The Titans will enter NFL free agency on March 11 with a major, major need at cornerback. Good thing Borgonzi is equipped with a league-leading $103.5 million in cap space, and that's before potential releases and contract extensions create more financial flexibility. Borgonzi must sign one starting-caliber cornerback at minimum.
The Titans possess a local connection to one of the top pending free agent cornerbacks and he's precisely who head coach Robert Saleh needs to inject an attitude adjustment at the position. Former Tennessee Volunteers star cornerback Alontae Taylor would be a terrific fit in Nashville. Taylor should be one of Borgonzi's top targets.
Former Tennessee Volunteers CB Alontae Taylor should be Titans' top target in NFL Free Agency
Taylor was drafted by the New Orleans Saints in the second round (No. 49 overall) of the 2022 NFL Draft. The competitive cornerback immediately made an impact, appearing in 13 games as a rookie, recording 46 tackles and 11 pass breakups. Taylor then took a huge step forward as a sophomore, registering 75 tackles, two interceptions, and 14 PBUs.
Taylor started peaking as a third-year pro in 2024. The Winchester, Tennessee native put up a career-high 89 tackles. Taylor continued to be disruptive at the catch point by notching a career-high 16 pass breakups.
Borgonzi valued availability in free agency last offseason, signing workhorses like Cody Barton, Xavier Woods, and Dan Moore Jr., three players who were consistently healthy for their previous teams. Taylor checks those boxes. He's played 950-plus snaps in three consecutive seasons, including back-to-back years with more than 1,000 defensive snaps apiece.
Taylor primarily played nickel cornerback for the Saints this past campaign, but he's proven to be versatile. In 2024, he played more than 600 snaps as a boundary cornerback. He'd be capable of moving around Saleh's defensive formation as needed.
Spotrac projects Taylor to sign a three-year contract in free agency worth $33.4 million. The average annual salary of that prediction is $11.2 million. That's a reasonable price tag for a local Tennessee star who has proven to be versatile and consistently healthy.