When an NFL team hires a GM, you have to expect some mistakes to be made early. Mike Borgonzi's career has been no different, and he has had his share of hits and misses with the Tennessee Titans so far. The important thing is that he learns from them instead of repeating them.
Many people might point to the Titans' minimalist efforts in free agency as something that needs to change. Still, one cannot overlook what Borgonzi did to create additional holes on a roster that already had major problems.
Borgonzi cut Chidobe Awuzie, and the cornerback has been outstanding for the Baltimore Ravens (ranked 5th out of 121 cornerbacks in PFF's coverage grade). That would have been a nice player to have this year on a defense that has given most of those snaps to players they claimed off waivers.
Titans GM Mike Borgonzi must avoid repeat mistakes in 2026
Despite having $108 million of available cap space last offseason, the Titans cut one of the best pass rushers in franchise history, citing cap reasons. Harold Landry has played in every game for the New England Patriots this year and is on pace for another double-digit sack season. Meanwhile, the Titans have none of their starting EDGEs under contract for 2026 and are praying that Femi Oladejo develops into a solid role player.
The lesson both of those mistakes should teach Borgonzi is that a good GM doesn't create holes on a roster that already has plenty. This would be different if Borgonzi were cutting 30+ year-olds who suffered major injuries or looked completely washed up, but you can't voluntarily cut productive players, no matter how much you want to believe there is a better mystery box out there somewhere.
As it stands right now, the Titans' needs for 2026 look like this:
-One offensive lineman (right guard)
-Two wide receivers (assuming Calvin Ridley is cut)
-One running back (assuming Tony Pollard is cut)
-Two EDGEs (possibly three)
-Two cornerbacks (assuming L'Jarius Sneed is cut)
That isn't where the team needs to upgrade; those are just spots the team needs to find an NFL-caliber starter if they are going to field a team that isn't a joke next season.
All of that preamble is important because everyone needs to remember how many holes this roster needs to fill. That's why re-signing Chig Okonkwo to a market-fair contract is a no-brainer decision Borgonzi must make.
We know what Okonkwo is at this point in his career. He isn't a traditional tight end; he is a big receiver who has the athleticism to win down the field, even though he won't consistently break tackles after he catches a pass.
Okonkwo shouldn't be the team's "starting" tight end. That job should go to Gunnar Helm in his second season. Helm is 23rd out of 78 tight ends when it comes to overall blocking, and he has the frame to be that traditional in-line TE. Okonkwo's role in the offense would be as a complement to him to force defenses to account for a 6'3, 240 lb. receiving TE who ran a 4.52 40-yard dash.
Titans must re-sign TE Chig Okonkwo
For whatever faults you find with Okonkwo, he has played in 63 of 63 possible games since being drafted in 2022. Aside from his durability, he has been productive, and he is on pace to have 2,000+ receiving yards throughout his four-year rookie contract.
For context on how impressive that is, the only tight ends on pace for 2,000+ yards over that span who aren't already in their 30s are: Trey McBride, T.J. Hockenson, David Njoku, Dalton Schultz, Kyle Pitts, Sam LaPorta, Juwan Johnson, Pat Freiermuth, Cole Kmet, Jake Ferguson, Okonkwo, Cade Otton, and Brock Bowers.
Assuming the Titans are going to be able to go out and replace a good player with a great player has failed them on roughly 95% of their attempts. Why on Earth would fans think that this will be the time they get it right?
Until further notice, Titans fans need to stop attempting to replace good with great in their wishcasting. Both the fans and the front office should focus on addressing the massive holes first, and then if the franchise can fix those, it will be time to focus replacing good players with great ones.
Borgonzi shouldn't create additional roster holes. Instead, the front office should keep one of the few productive players they have and force other additions to outproduce him. If they miraculously find a young tight end that can outproduce Okonkwo, the Titans won't be wrong for keeping him.
Instead, Okonkwo would then be viewed as a young, productive TE who will be a nice trade asset if they want to add more draft capital for the future. All it will cost them is a tiny portion of their $100+ million in available cap space that they won't be spending on anyone else anyway. It isn't rocket science.
Through 13 games, Okonkwo obviously leads the team in receptions and yards, but it isn't just check-downs. He caught five of Cam Ward's 28 explosive passes (18%), the only person with more is Calvin Ridley, who has seven of the 28 (25%). Okonkwo also has the team's second-longest reception of the season (39 yards). He has the second-highest number of receptions resulting in a first down.
Nationally, Okonkwo has more receiving yards than Dallas Goedert, T.J. Hockenson, Evan Engram, Mark Andrews, Isaiah Likely, Pat Freiermuth, and Jonnu Smith, and more yards per reception than volume monsters like Zach Ertz, Harold Fannin, Dalton Schultz, and Jake Ferguson.
Okonkwo isn't a great blocker, but maybe the Titans should adapt to what a player does well instead of focusing on what he can't do.