The Tennessee Titans have tried and failed to build a competitive roster in the three seasons following Mike Vrabel's departure. They're already on their second general manager in that stretch after moving on from Ran Carthon in 2025.
While the team seems to be heading in a positive direction after a strong offseason, there are still some past mistakes weighing them down heading into 2026.
Both Dan Moore Jr. and Calvin Ridley are set to play on contracts that far exceed their performance on the field.
Dan Moore Jr. and Calvin Ridley highlight Titans' worst contracts
The Titans have a history of employing talented receivers past their prime. Ridley is the latest example. The 31-year-old is heading into his third season in Tennessee after playing the worst season of his seven-year NFL career.
The veteran videout posted career lows in both targets and receptions in 2025, while having a career-high drop rate of 15%. After drafting Carnell Tate in the first round, the Titans are preparing to move on from their former top pass catcher.
Of course, Ridley was a productive receiver when Carthon signed him. He was coming off a 1,000-yard campaign with the Jacksonville Jaguars and met that threshold again in his first year in Tennessee. But dishing out a hefty four-year contract to a receiver pushing 30 years old. Ridley now carries the team's third-highest cap hit despite likely being its third receiver, and after taking an offseason pay cut.
Moore's contract is even less defensible. Current Titans general manager Mike Borgonzi signed the left tackle to a four-year, $82 million deal in free agency. He had been a mediocre starter for the Pittsburgh Steelers for four seasons, but Pittsburgh was more than willing to let him walk.
While he hasn't been a disaster on the field, Moore hasn't lived up to his contract either. He was a below-average starter last season, allowing pressures on nearly 5% of his pass blocking snaps (sixth-worst in the NFL among qualifying tackles). Without a dominant presence as a run blocker, Moore was a weak link for Tennessee. Despite spending significant resources on the offensive line in recent years, the Titans still haven't been able to make the unit a strength.
Both players have a chance to turn things around under new head coach Robert Saleh, but these contract mistakes continue to hamper Tennessee's success. If Borgonzi can't right the ship, it will be difficult to pull the Titans out of the league's basement.
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