The Tennessee Titans have not been afraid to be active in free agency this week. They have made all kinds of splashes, including one that welcomed wide receiver Wan’Dale Robinson that could essentially put Calvin Ridley’s future with the team in jeopardy. However, Robinson being paired up with Brian Daboll was no shock to anyone.
Throughout this period, the Titans have been busy adding to their defense, a little bit on offense, and now they are taking the special teams route with a recent signing.
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Titans are signing punter Tommy Townsend to a two-year deal that is worth up to $6 million.
Titans are signing punter former Chiefs and Texans punter Tommy Townsend to a 2-year deal worth up to $6 million, per agent Drew Rosenhaus. pic.twitter.com/Dw2Yhp0DFW
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 11, 2026
Townsend started his career out with the Kansas City Chiefs, spending four seasons there before joining the Houston Texans in 2024. Townsend was there for two seasons and now he will stay in the division to join the new look Titans. Tennessee general manager Mike Borgonzi spent time with him in KC.
This signing also guarantees that Johnny Hekker won't be returning to Nashville. Getting Townsend is an upgrade over Hekker. Townsend is younger and he showed to be the better punter last season, making it a smart move by the Titans to make.
Titans upgrade their punter situation with Tommy Townsend
Last season with the Texans, Townsend finished third in punts inside the opponent's redzone (30) while Hekker was tied at 17th with just 22 punts inside the redzone. Townsend’s longest punt was 73 yards while Hekker’s was only 65 yards.
Now granted, these may not be massive gaps between Townsend and Hekker, they do play a key factor in a team’s success. The game of football is a three-phase game; Offense, defense, and special teams. Returning special teams coordinator John "Bones" Fassel will appreciate the upgrade at punter. The Titans brought in Hekker at his request last offseason, but the aging punter disappointed.
We have seen teams win and lose because occurrences on special teams. While the Titans should be focused on developing Cam Ward and building up a solid defense for Robert Saleh, they can’t ignore special teams either. Again, games are won and lost in the third phase.
Bringing in Townsend is an upgrade and the Titans’ offense is bound to go through some growing pains under Brian Daboll. The team needs a reliable punter who can pin an opponent deep in their territory and be forced to try and get past Saleh’s defense that plays at an elite level.