The Tennessee Titans are going to possess more money than anyone else in the NFL to spend in free agency, but that doesn't mean they need to spend recklessly. The idea isn't to use free agency as an avenue to assemble a roster of superstars; it is to scan the market and find players who are good fits to raise the "floor" of the team.
That is why there are a few free agents who keep being connected to the Titans. Talents like Alec Pierce, Odafe Oweh, and Wan'Dale Robinson keep being mentioned because they would all be clear fits for the Titans' new schemes. One player who fits that mold who isn't getting mentioned enough is Jacksonville Jaguars linebacker Devin Lloyd.
The Titans seem to have struck gold in their 2024 fourth-round pick, Cedric Gray. Had he stayed healthy, he would have potentially topped 200 tackles in his first year as a starter, and he is going to look exceptional in Robert Saleh's aggressive defense.
Titans could ignite an AFC South rivalry by targeting Jaguars LB Devin Lloyd in NFL Free Agency
The linebacker spot opposite Gray is a question mark. While Saleh has a reputation for developing linebackers at a high level, he shouldn't have to if the team can bring in a great fit for his scheme. If Mike Borgonzi and Saleh evaluate the roster and agree that James Williams is too raw and Cody Barton isn't the guy, then Lloyd would be a perfect complement to Gray.
Lloyd's tackle numbers don't pop, but the second-team All-Pro was all over the field this past season, racking up five interceptions, six tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, and 10 quarterback hits. Pairing him with a tackle machine like Gray gives the Titans the best of both worlds, and Gray's reasonable cap hit could help them afford Lloyd in free agency.
Signing Lloyd would also allow the Titans to keep experimenting with Williams and potentially try him as a "SAM" linebacker in Saleh's system. It might also allow Borgonzi to move on from Barton at some point because they will eat most of his salary in any move, which should make him very appealing if a team is looking for a fringe-starter at the position.
Another fun, off-the-field bonus is that this would intensify the hatred that is growing between Saleh and Jaguars coach Liam Coen.
With the Jaguars prioritizing re-signing offensive players Cole Van Lanen and Jakobi Meyers instead of Lloyd, he will be exceptionally motivated to prove his former team wrong, and he will get every chance to do that with the "all gas, no breaks" defense Saleh will be running in Tennessee.
If Borgonzi wants to raise the floor of this roster, giving Saleh an All-Pro linebacker to pair with the 200-tackle-a-year linebacker that he is inheriting is a great start. Put them both behind Jeffery Simmons and a first-round pick on the defensive line, and you have the core of an elite defense in one offseason.