The Tennessee Titans began NFL free agency by signing offensive tackle Dan Moore to a massive four-year contract worth $82 million. Besides paying a premium for a new starting left tackle, first-year general manager Mike Borgonzi also made some shrewd, cost-effective re-signings.
Among them, the Titans re-signed defensive tackle Sebastian Joseph-Day and cornerback Darrell Baker Jr.
Joseph-Day reportedly drew attention at the trade deadline from a few teams, but he was one of the few tradeable assets the Titans opted to retain. A big reason the front office decided to keep Joseph-Day around was his very impressive start to the 2024 season, and the Titans defense couldn't survive losing a good defensive lineman midseason after trading linebacker Ernest Jones IV to the Seattle Seahawks.
Joseph-Day will return to Nashville for the 2025 season on a one-year contract worth up to $7.5 million, with $5 million in guarantees, according to national reports. Joining Jeffery Simmons, T'Vondre Sweat, and Keondre Coburn on an in-tact defensive line, the interior defensive line group has continuity, will have an argument to be the strongest position group on the roster.
The other contender for that title is cornerback. All eyes are on the health of L'Jarius Sneed and Chidobe Awuzie, who signed massive contracts last season. However, depth is crucial at cornerback, and there aren't many corner groups that can sustain an injury or two without a significant dropoff.
Baker and rookie Jarvis Brownlee Jr. did a great job holding down the position while those two veterans were injured. Having those four defenders plus Roger McCreary in the secondary means the defense won't be putting all of their eggs in one basket (Sneed's health).
Considering the exploding market for cornerbacks, Baker will be a steal, and that isn't even factoring in the value of having someone in this system that the Titans coaching staff has already had hands-on experience with. All in all, it is a solid move that good teams make all the time.
Maybe the Titans will sign a noteworthy quarterback soon or a big-name player like safety Jevon Holland, but these are the types of signings people should expect from this regime. Small, short contracts designed to add depth at certain positions, or to patch holes that will later be filled by draft picks.
Exceptions can always be made for exceptional players, but for the most part, the Titans will be shopping in the discount bin, hoping that their pro scouting and analytics models help them find good values. That's what they got by re-signing Joseph-Day and Baker Jr.