The Tennessee Titans have a new general manager and the team's power structure seems to be in place. The details and exact job descriptions will emerge in the press conference announcing Mike Borgonzi as the team's new GM, and there is going to be a lot of discussions on where the team needs to go from here.
We're roughly 45 days away from free agency's legal tampering period, which means that the first order of business is figuring out who will remain on this roster in 2025 and what holes the team needs to fill.
A big part of that discussion will be deciding whether players with bloated contracts should be outright released.
Over The Cap recently made a list of "100 possible cut candidates" where they looked at the biggest names and contracts in the NFL that could possibly be cut or have their contracts renegotiated.
They stress that most of these players won't be cut, but that the players whose big contracts would give the team the most cap space if they cut or restructured their deals. Some names included on the list are Maxx Crosby, D.K. Metcalf, Mike Evans, and Travis Kelce. None of those guys are getting cut, but they are all players who could extend their contracts or see another form of restructuring to help free up cap space.
Here are the four Titans players who made this list. It should be noted that OTC's projections say that all four are currently good values compared to what it costs to pay an "average starter" at their position.
Harold Landry, EDGE
Landry's release would save the Titans roughly $11 million in cap space in 2025. Landry still has two years left on his contract and has been a reliable, above-average starter for the Titans during his tenure with the team. It is hard to imagine that he would get cut considering the team's need at the position, but this is an offseason where dozens of talented EDGEs will either be drafted or signed in free agency, so you can't rule it out completely.
Amani Hooker, Safety
Cutting Hooker would save the Titans nearly $9 million in cap space, but when you look at what he did for the defense this past season, it is hard to imagine that the front office would cut him. However, Hooker is entering the last year of his deal, and it would make sense to extend the 26-year-old safety.
Arden Key, EDGE
Key was considered a free-agent bust in his first season with the Titans, but he made a much bigger impact in 2024. Just like Landry, it would be hard to see the Titans cutting Key considering how thin they are at the position, but if they love Abdul Carter in the draft and they hit on a big-name free agent EDGE, then cutting the former LSU standout could open up a little bit of money (just over $2 million).
Kenneth Murray, LB
This is the player who is most likely to be cut when you consider the musical chairs that the Titans had to play at linebacker this season. The team could do with the $7.7 million that they would get back if they release Murray. This is one to watch if there is a deep group of linebackers available in free agency.