The Tennessee Titans have a completely new coaching staff with Robert Saleh at the helm, and you have to figure that a new coaching staff means new blood on the roster.
And to say the Titans have delievered in that regard would be an understatement.
The Titans have been one of the most active teams so far in NFL Free Agency, and justifiably so. They not only had a ton of cap space to work with, but a lot of roster needs to address, and position groups to upgrade. The pass rush needed a renovation, and that meant saying goodbye to free agent Arden Key, who just left the Titans for the worst team imaginable: The Indianapolis Colts.
Arden Key frustratingly leaves Titans for Colts in 2026 NFL Free Agency
The primary focus right now is on the players the Titans are adding. There is way too much excitement right now to be overly upset about losing Arden Key to the Colts, but it does sting to lose one of your in-house players to a division rival, especially when that team is obviously directly in the way of accomplishing what you want to see the Titans do in 2026.
Key has been a solid contributor to the Titans' defense over the last handful of seasons, racking up 16.5 sacks and 38 quarterback hits in 45 games. As far as pass rushers around the NFL go, Key is rather underrated, especially considering all of the turnover the Titans have had.
Key has at least 11 QB hits in each of the last six seasons, and should be at least a nice rotational players for Colts defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo. And the money in his contract indicates they are banking on him being exactly that.
Key received a two-year deal from the Colts worth $20 million in total money, $11 million in guarantees. They clearly feel like he can be a starting option for them opposite 2024 first-round pick Laiatu Latu. So what about the Titans?
The big moves the Titans have made so far to upgrade the pass rush are trading for former Jets first-round pick Jermaine Johnson as well as signing defensive lineman John Franklin-Myers to boost the interior. It's still a work in progress on the defensive front, but the Titans are also rightfully going to bank on some progression in year two from Oluwafemi Oladejo, a second-round pick in last year's draft.