Titans To Sign CB Alontae Taylor
The Titans’ spending spree continues. Alontae Taylor is the latest free agent to line up a deal with Tennessee as the team’s overhaul is in full force.
The parties have agreed to a deal, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports. This pact will be worth $60MM over three years, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network adds. Taylor will cash in following his rookie contract stint in New Orleans, with Rapoport adding he will collect $42MM in full guarantees.
Experienced as both a slot and perimeter corner, Taylor may command the top CB salary on this year’s market. Ranked 12th overall in PFR’s top 50 (first among corners), Taylor has a skillset that will allow Saleh options in coverage. The former second-round pick has more than 1,500 snaps inside and outside.
Taylor becomes the NFL’s 10th $20MM-per-year cornerback. The Titans still have L’Jarius Sneed tied to a $19.1MM-per-year contract. While other former Chiefs starters have justified their second-contract costs — the Rams are betting big on this having added Trent McDuffie and Jaylen Watson — Sneed has struggled to stay healthy and was embroiled in a legal situation during his time in Nashville. The Titans are likely to cut the underwhelming trade acquisition, veteran reporter Paul Kuharsky notes.
As Nikhil Mehta’s Titans Offseason Outlook detailed, Sneed will see $7.5MM of his 2026 salary shift from an injury guarantee to a full guarantee on Day 5 of the 2026 league year. That March 16 date will be tied to a physical, per Kuharsky, who notes Sneed being cleared would allow the Titans to cut him without that injury guarantee kicking in. The Titans would save $13.43MM if Sneed’s injury issue is resolved and he is released.
The Saints attempted to extend Taylor, but it became clear this week he would depart in free agency. New Orleans sought a Day 2 pick for Taylor in a trade, and the Bears and Colts pursued. Indianapolis then came in with a two-first-rounder offer for Sauce Gardner. Taylor, 27, finished out his contract year with the Saints — unlike Rashid Shaheed, who was moved at the deadline — and will be positioned as the Titans’ No. 1 corner. Barring a pay cut, Sneed will be out of the picture. Tennessee will still have work to do here.
New Orleans has now lost two homegrown options — Taylor and Paulson Adebo — to big-ticket contracts in back-to-back free agencies. The Giants gave Adebo a three-year, $54MM deal. A few corners landed those terms in 2025, but with the cap rising past $300MM this year, Taylor will outdo that lot and reside between the top tier and the cadre of ’25 market beneficiaries.
Titans To Sign CB Cor’Dale Flott
Cornerback Cor’Dale Flott is leaving the Giants for the Titans, Mike Garafolo of NFL Network reports. Flott and the Titans have agreed to a three-year, $45MM contract with $32MM fully guaranteed.
This is the third free agent the Titans have stolen from the Giants on Monday. The Titans previously added wide receiver Wan’Dale Robinson on a four-year, $70MM agreement. They also signed tight end Daniel Bellinger to a three-year, $24MM pact.
Flott and the Giants were seemingly progressing toward an agreement earlier Monday, but the 24-year-old will join Robinson and Bellinger in Tennessee instead. The Giants almost had a deal in place with Flott before new Titans coach Robert Saleh persuaded him to exit at the last minute, per Connor Hughes of SNY. Saleh won Flott over in explaining what he could accomplish in Tennessee’s defense.
Flott, a 2022 third-round pick from LSU, combined for 23 starts in 39 appearances over his first three years with the Giants. The former slot corner then emerged as a full-time boundary starter in 2025.
While taking a starting job from former first-rounder Deonte Banks, Flott totaled 38 tackles, 11 passes defensed and an interception in 14 games. The 6-foot-2 Flott also registered his best coverage work (per Pro-Football-Reference) in yielding a 52.2% completion rate as the closest defender and holding quarterbacks to a 73.3 passer rating. Those numbers were much better than Flott’s 2024 output (66.7%, 89.0), but his most recent showing was enough to convince the Saleh-led Titans to dole out a sizable contract.
The Flott signing is part of a massive defensive makeover under Saleh and coordinator Gus Bradley. The Titans’ defense ranked 21st in yards and 28th in points in 2025, but the unit now looks far better on paper. Tennessee got to work in trading defensive tackle T’Vondre Sweat to the Jets for end Jermaine Johnson in late February. Since the negotiating window opened Monday, the Titans’ defense has scooped up Flott, fellow corner Alontae Taylor and coveted interior lineman John Franklin-Myers.
Titans To Sign DL John Franklin-Myers
Robert Saleh is reforming his Jets band. After Jermaine Johnson arrived via trade, John Franklin-Myers is coming over in free agency. The high-level FA agreed to a three-year, $63MM Titans deal, per insider Jordan Schultz.
A two-year Broncos starter, Franklin-Myers was a key piece under Saleh with the Jets. With D-line coach Aaron Whitecotton coming to Nashville as well, the Titans appeared to be the most logical suitor for Franklin-Myers (as Nikhil Mehta’s Offseason Outlook detailed). Franklin-Myers, 29, will see $42MM guaranteed on this deal — a massive raise from his Denver terms.
Widely expected to leave the Broncos, who had not made an extension offer during a period where several other front-seven cogs were paid, Franklin-Myers hit free agency at an ideal time. Despite heading into an age-30 season, the high-end role player looked to be by far this market’s top interior D-line option. PFR ranked Franklin-Myers sixth in this year’s FA class — largely because of its lack of DT options and a draft not teeming with them, either — and the $21MM-per-year number nearly triples his Broncos AAV.
The Bengals, Colts and 49ers also pursued Franklin-Myers, according to The Athletic’s Dianna Russini. Traded to the Broncos as a salary-dump move in the 2024 draft, Franklin-Myers agreed to a two-year, $15MM deal — a better offer than the Jets made as they aimed for a sizable pay cut. Franklin-Myers had been tied to a four-year, $55MM Jets extension, but as Haason Reddick arrived via trade, Joe Douglas sent him to Denver. That became a boon for the Broncos’ defense, and it turned into a mutually beneficial relationship.
Two top-three Broncos defenses deployed Franklin-Myers as a 3-4 defensive end starter. He racked up 14.5 sacks during his two-season Broncos stay. But Denver had agreed to extensions with Zach Allen, Malcom Roach, Nik Bonitto and Jonathon Cooper during Franklin-Myers’ tenure. The team also re-signed DT D.J. Jones just before last year’s free agency. Franklin-Myers did not expect an extension, and he will benefit from hitting the market in a down year for the position.
Initially claimed off waivers from the Rams during Adam Gase’s HC tenure, Franklin-Myers displayed inside-outside versatility under Saleh. He recorded 11 sacks from 2021-22, teaming with Quinnen Williams up front New York. Saleh’s second Jets defense improved from 32nd to fourth, and Franklin-Myers’ 2022 showing was a key reason for that leap. Two years after the draft-weekend trade, Franklin-Myers will join his former coaches on a monster fourth contract.
Titans To Sign WR Wan’Dale Robinson
In a blow to the drama the legal tampering period can bring, the buzz about the Titans and Wan’Dale Robinson has turned out to be accurate. The former Giants slot receiver will reunite with Brian Daboll in Tennessee, The Athletic’s Dianna Russini reports.
Robinson agreed to terms on a four-year, $70MM deal, veteran insider Jordan Schultz tweets. The contract can max out at $78MM. This will reward the 5-foot-8 target after a 1,000-yard contract year while giving Cam Ward a wideout familiar with Daboll’s offense.
It took a bit for Robinson to break through in New York, and his 2024 season brought only a 7.5-yard average per reception. It would have been next to impossible for Robinson to fetch this $17.5MM-per-year agreement off that campaign, but the former second-round pick fortunately paired well with Jaxson Dart and totaled 1,014 yards on 92 catches in 2025. With Malik Nabers out and Darius Slayton also missing time with injuries, Dart leaned on his slot weapon.
Although the Giants wanted to retain Robinson, they gave Slayton a three-year, $36MM deal last March and will let the younger pass catcher walk. The Titans have not yet released Calvin Ridley, but that could be on tap. Robinson’s salary will align with Ward’s rookie contract.
Plenty of smoke emerged connecting Robinson to the Titans. The Combine annually serves as a preview of the tampering period, and the Indianapolis gathering did little to mask Tennessee’s interest in the ex-Daboll Giants charge. By Sunday, a “widespread belief” existed the Titans would land Robinson.
After playing in only six games as a rookie, Robinson became a key target for Daniel Jones (and his backups) before doing his best work with Dart. Robinson provided some longer-range work compared to his earlier years, and the Titans will surely tap into that part of the Kentucky alum’s skillset. Robinson has age on his side as well, as he is entering an age-25 season. That separated him from this year’s top FA wideouts, and the open market will reward a late-blooming talent.
Titans To Sign TE Daniel Bellinger, OL Cordell Volson
Daniel Bellinger will not be back with the Giants, but he will reunite with a familiar face on his next team. The fifth-year tight end is joining the Titans.
Bellinger has agreed to terms with Tennessee, NFL insider Jordan Schultz reports. This will be a three-year, $24MM pact, he adds. Bellinger will once again work with Brian Daboll — the Titans’ new offensive coordinator — on his new contract.
We now have three of Daboll’s former Giants — Bellinger, Wan’Dale Robinson, Cor’Dale Flott — coming to Nashville via Monday agreements. Bellinger will receive a hefty raise despite limited success as a receiver (zero 300-plus-yard receiving seasons). Bellinger was called upon as the Giants tried to replace Evan Engram and Darren Waller, later taking a backseat — as a receiving option, that is — to Theo Johnson.
The Titans, who have not re-signed Chig Okonkwo (the tight end market was quiet Monday), will undoubtedly use Bellinger as a blocker extensively. Bellinger was a run blocker on 281 plays during the Giants’ 2025 season, teaming with Johnson. Bellinger and Robinson will be well versed in Daboll’s system as he installs it this offseason.
Entering the day with the second-most cap space in the NFL, the Titans ran wild. Beyond the three ex-Giants additions, Tennessee signed John Franklin-Myers and Alontae Taylor — both players in the top 12 of PFR’s free agent list. Tennessee also added some O-line depth in Cordell Volson, with KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson noting the ex-Bengals starter agreed to a one-year deal worth $4.22MM.
Volson was a three-year guard starter in Cincinnati; the 2022 fourth-round pick started 48 of the 50 Bengals games he played. Though, Cincinnati benched the North Dakota State alum late in the 2024 season and gave him a pay cut months later. Volson, 27, was not viewed as a roster lock ahead of the 2025 season, and he spent the full campaign on IR due to a shoulder injury requiring surgery.
Pro Football Focus never graded Volson as a top-40 guard. He joins a Titans team that wants to re-sign Kevin Zeitler to reprise his role opposite Peter Skoronski; Volson stands to provide some depth.
Sam Robinson contributed to this post.
Titans To Sign QB Mitch Trubisky
Mitch Trubisky is reuniting with Brian Daboll. The former Bills allies will link up once again, with Mike Garafolo of NFL.com reporting Titans are giving the veteran quarterback a two-year deal.
Finishing out his second Bills stint, Trubisky’s first came in Daboll’s final Buffalo season (2021). Tennessee will bring in the ex-Daboll pupil to work as Cam Ward‘s backup.
Fending off Mike White for Buffalo’s backup job last season, Trubisky has mostly been a No. 2 option since his Bears rookie deal expired after the 2020 season. While the former No. 2 overall pick did open the 2022 season as a Steelers bridge, that was short-lived. He stayed in Pittsburgh in 2023 but returned to Buffalo in ’24, as Mason Rudolph had overtaken him to replace Kenny Pickett. Daboll, however, initially coached Trubisky following his shaky Chicago tenure.
Trubisky, 31, is best remembered for his erratic Bears tenure — which featured a contract-year benching — but he did take part in two Bears playoff games as a starter. After his Steelers tenure, the North Carolina alum has not been looked at for starting work. It looks likely he will replace Brandon Allen as Ward’s backup, though Will Levis is technically still on the roster.
Levis has come up as a trade candidate on a few occasions, though that paused in 2025 as the second-round pick missed all of last season. Trubisky is likely coming in to be the backup, and Levis was drafted two coaching staffs ago (plenty has changed about the Titans’ front office since that time too). Before Saleh and Daboll’s arrival, Titans brass said Levis will be expected to be on the 2026 roster. But with Trubisky set to push him to the third-string level — in all likelihood — there may no longer be a place for him.
‘Widespread Belief’ Wan’Dale Robinson Will Join Titans
There have been multiple recent connections between Giants pending free agent wide receiver Wan’Dale Robinson and the Titans in the rumor mill. There is now “widespread belief” in league circles that Robinson will agree to join the Titans when the negotiating window opens Monday, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk reports.
[RELATED: Previewing The Titans’ Offseason]
This looks like a slam dunk for the Titans, who need offensive weapons, possess the second-most cap space in the NFL ($92.69MM), and have Robinson’s former coach on their staff. Offensive coordinator Brian Daboll was the Giants’ head coach during the first three-plus years of Robinson’s career.
Daboll was part of the regime that spent a second-round pick on Robinson in 2022. The two worked together until the Giants fired Daboll last November.
Although Robinson is just 5-foot-8, 195 pounds, the slot target has been among the NFL’s most prolific pass catchers over the past couple of years. He combined for 185 receptions in 33 games from 2024-25. While Robinson amassed just 699 yards on a meager 7.5 per catch in 2024, he crossed 1,000 for the first time last season (1,014) and posted a career-high 11.0 YPC. He also notched a personal-best four touchdowns.
In ranking Robinson as the No. 15 free agent in this year’s class, PFR’s Sam Robinson pointed to Bills slot receiver Khalil Shakir‘s contract as a potential comp. Shakir signed a four-year, $53MM extension last March. Not only has the cap risen significantly since then, but Robinson has hauled in 71 more passes than Shakir in eight fewer games. Robinson has achieved that despite playing with far worse quarterbacks than Shakir, who has spent his career with Josh Allen.
Fitting in a pricey deal for the 25-year-old Robinson would not be a problem for the Titans. There is also a high level of motivation to surround second-year quarterback Cam Ward with more help in 2026. Tight end Chig Okonkwo, who is now a pending free agent, led Titans pass catchers with a modest 56 receptions and 560 yards last season. As a fourth-round rookie, Elic Ayomanor paced their receivers with 41 grabs and 515 yards. Calvin Ridley, the most established wideout on the roster, is a release candidate on the heels of a seven-game, 17-reception campaign.
Whether it’s Robinson or another free agent(s), adding proven receiving talent is a must for the Titans. Alec Pierce, Romeo Doubs, Jauan Jennings and Rashid Shaheed are a few other unsigned receivers who could pique their interest.
Offseason Outlook: Tennessee Titans
The Titans had already signaled their intention to make sweeping changes across the organization by the end of the 2025 season – their fourth in a row without a playoff appearance – by firing head coach Brian Callahan in October. The team finished 3-14 and entered the offseason to conduct its second coaching search in three years.
49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh emerged as the man for the job. He will be tasked with establishing a defensive identity and fostering the development of 2025 No. 1 pick Cam Ward. In the latter venture, he will be aided by new offensive coordinator and former Giants head coach Brian Daboll, who previously oversaw Josh Allen’s ascension in Buffalo. Newly empowered general manager Mike Borgonzi, who led the coaching search and now has final say on the 53-man roster, will be looking to give Ward more support on offense and find the right players for Saleh’s scheme on defense.
Coaching/front office:
- Restructured front office hierarchy
- Hired Robert Saleh as head coach
- Hired Brian Daboll as offensive coordinator
- Hired Gus Bradley as defensive coordinator
- Retained assistant HC/special teams coordinator John Fassel
- Hired Carmen Bricillo as offensive line coach
- Hired Shea Tierney as quarterbacks coach
- Hired Greg Lewis as wide receivers coach
- Retained defensive pass-game coordinator/CBs coach Tony Oden
- Hired Aaron Whitecotton as defensive line coach
- Hired Marquand Manuel as safeties coach
The Titans’ current woes date back to their decision to fire Mike Vrabel in 2023. It was baffling at the time and proved to be the wrong choice in 2025 when he took the Patriots to the Super Bowl. They replaced Vrabel with Brian Callahan, then the Bengals' offensive coordinator, and the team stumbled to a 3-14 finish with Will Levis and Mason Rudolph under center.
The silver lining of Callahan’s debut campaign as head coach was the No. 1 pick in the 2025 draft, which the Titans used on Ward. He flashed upside as a rookie, but the lack of talent or a clear identity on offense was too much to overcome. Tennessee did not have an identity on defense, either, and it became clear that Callahan was not the right man for the job after a 1-5 start for the second year in a row. Senior offensive assistant Mike McCoy shepherded the Titans down the stretch, and the team began its rebuilding effort anew.
2026 NFL Trades
The modern NFL features four clear trade windows. Early March, the draft, the late-August 53-man roster-setting date and the November deadline reside as the primary points trades occur around the league. As the NFL resides in window No. 1 for 2026, it is a good time to check in on what has already transpired on the market.
Excluding pick-for-pick trades, here are the moves NFL teams have made thus far in 2026:
February 26
- Titans trade DT T’Vondre Sweat to Jets for DE Jermaine Johnson
March 2
- Browns to acquire OL Tytus Howard from Texans for No. 141
- Texans to obtain RB David Montgomery from Lions for OL Juice Scruggs, No. 128, 2027 seventh-round pick
March 4
- Rams to acquire CB Trent McDuffie from Chiefs for Nos. 29, 168, 210, 2027 third-round pick
March 5
- Bills to add WR D.J. Moore, No. 165 from Bears in exchange for No. 60
March 6
- Bears to acquire C Garrett Bradbury from Patriots for 2027 fifth-round pick
- Ravens to land OLB Maxx Crosby from Raiders for No. 14, 2027 first-round pick
Ravens nixed trade March 10, failing Crosby on a physical
March 7
- Packers to add LB Zaire Franklin from Colts for DT Colby Wooden
March 8
- Raiders to obtain CB Taron Johnson, No. 228 from Bills for No. 182
March 9
- Jets to acquire S Minkah Fitzpatrick from Dolphins for No. 238
- Cowboys to land OLB Rashan Gary from Packers for 2027 fourth-round pick
- Steelers to add WR Michael Pittman Jr., No. 230 from Colts for No. 214
March 10
- Jets to acquire QB Geno Smith, No. 228 from Raiders for No. 182
- Texans to obtain P Kai Kroeger, 2028 seventh-round pick from Saints for 2028 sixth-rounder
March 11
- Titans to add DL Solomon Thomas, No. 225 from Cowboys for No. 218
- 49ers to acquire DT Osa Odighizuwa from Cowboys for No. 92
Commanders Preparing Aggressive Tyler Linderbaum Run; Giants, Raiders, Titans In Mix
The Tyler Linderbaum market is expected to produce a center-record contract — probably by a decent margin. Ranked No. 1 on PFR’s top 50 free agents list, the three-time Pro Bowler is less than 24 hours from reaching free agency. Teams will be preparing big offers to lock down their snapper posts.
Should the Ravens not come in with an 11th-hour deal to keep Linderbaum off the market, veteran insider Jordan Schultz reports the Commanders are preparing an aggressive run. They will not be the only ones. The Giants, Raiders and Titans are teams to monitor here as well, according to ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler.
As expected, Fowler points to this market easily exceeding $20MM per year. Creed Humphrey has held the top center contract (four years, $72MM) since August 2024, but with Baltimore being thus far unable to complete a deal with Linderbaum, the open market will help do the work to raise the bar and provide the NFL its first $20MM-AAV center accord.
The Ravens have offered market-topping money, but Linderbaum likely knows multiple big offers will come his way once the legal tampering period opens at 11am CT Monday. A $25MM-per-year target — which would top both the center and guard markets — has been floated as a goal for the acclaimed blocker here.
Washington just released two-year center starter Tyler Biadasz, who since duplicated his three-year, $30MM deal with the Chargers. Street free agency rarely brings such occurrences, pointing to reasonable Commanders confidence they can upgrade on Biadasz. The Bills took Connor McGovern off the market Saturday, raising the stakes a bit for Washington to bring in this market’s biggest fish.
The Giants were connected to Linderbaum not long after hiring John Harbaugh. Even though Todd Monken did not head to New York as Harbaugh preferred, the team has not seen former second-rounder John Michael Schmitz become an upper-crust center through three years. A roster-reshaping effort is coming from Big Blue’s new honcho. Holding barely $14MM in cap space, though, the Giants are well behind the other three known members in this market. New York will need to make more moves to free up funds to compete for Linderbaum.
Both the Raiders and Titans are flush with cap space and could flex their muscles soon. The Raiders’ Maxx Crosby trade moved them past $121MM in cap room, and they will be spenders soon. Las Vegas cut part-time 2025 center Alex Cappa and did not see RFA Jordan Meredith play especially well in that role either. The Titans just released two-year center Lloyd Cushenberry. While Cushenberry disappointed on a $12.5MM-per-year deal, Linderbaum brings far more consistency than the former Broncos draftee here. Fireworks will be expected soon, as a Linderbaum accord will be one of Monday’s headliners.