Tennessee Titans general manager Mike Borgonzi spoke with reporters at the NFL Combine on Wednesday. Borgonzi indicated the front office remained in the process of evaluating the roster ahead of free agency. Well, it appears part of that process was already complete.
The Titans released center Lloyd Cushenberry and safety Xavier Woods, the team confirmed via their official website and social media pages. Both players were viewed as potential cap casualties this offseason, but the general consensus was that they'd ultimately be retained. Borgonzi obviously didn't agree as he's now waived both players in separate moves that should save the Titans around $7.2 million in immediate cap space while leaving behind a combined roughly $10 million in dead money.
Cushenberry was signed to a sizable four-year, $50 million contract two offseasons ago by previous GM Ran Carthon. Chalk it up as another Carthon blunder. Borgonzi has now made the decision to course-correct that mistake, releasing him with a failed physical designation.
Titans move on from $50 million Ran Carthon mistake
Carthon made Cushenberry one of the highest-paid centers in the NFL. He began his debut 2024 campaign with the Titans in lackluster fashion before suffering a midseason torn Achilles injury. It was an unfortunate and brutal setback. Cushenberry worked hard to return in 2025, but the injury clearly created some roadblocks physically.
The Titans didn't experience any drop-off at center when reserve backup Corey Levin was in the lineup despite there being a significant difference in their salaries. Levin is also a pending free agent. The Titans should probably re-sign him, especially after making the decision to release Cushenberry.
Even if Levin is retained, Cushenberry's release creates a hole at center in the starting lineup. Right guard Kevin Zeitler is also a pending free agent. The Titans could be headed for fairly significant changes on the offensive line if Zeitler also doesn't return.
The Titans do have sophomore sixth-round pick Jackson Slater on the roster. Slater was viewed as having guard-center versatility coming out of Sacramento State. But the Titans essentially red-shirted him in 2025, as he only saw significant action in Week 18 due to injury.
Is Slater seen as the internal replacement for Cushenberry or Zeitler? Perhaps that's why Borgonzi made the decision to release Cushenberry.