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Tennessee Titans News & Rumors

Titans To Trade Kenneth Murray To Cowboys

March 12th, 2025 at 4:06pm CST by Sam Robinson

Kenneth Murray‘s Tennessee stay looks set to end after one season. The Titans and Cowboys have a deal in place that would send the former first-round linebacker to Dallas.

The teams closed out a negotiation that appears to be a pick swap, with NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reporting the clubs are expected to exchange late-round choices. The Cowboys will be taking on Murray’s two-year, $15.5MM deal. Murray is due a $5.99MM base salary — well north of his 2024 paragraph 5 number — next season. A classic pick-swap structure wrapped this deal, with Fox Sports’ Jordan Schultz adding the Titans will receive a sixth-rounder in exchange for Murray and a seventh.

This qualifies as a midlevel contract, as Murray did not justify his draft slot in Los Angeles. While teams annually pass on off-ball linebacker fifth-year options, Murray’s was not exactly a complex decision for the Bolts. They had benched the Oklahoma product at points, though a market still formed. Murray had fans in Tennessee last year, but after one season, he is out.

The Titans signed Cody Barton in free agency but also did not tender Jack Gibbens as an RFA. This comes a year after Tennessee did not extend its partnership with Azeez Al-Shaair past one year. Last season, the team also shipped August trade pickup Ernest Jones to the Seahawks for Jerome Baker, who has not re-signed. As of late, Nashville has not been a hub for linebacker continuity. The Cowboys, however, also have issues to sort out on their defensive second level.

While Pro Football Focus has never been remotely high on Murray, he was productive last season. The 2020 No. 23 pick finished with 95 tackles (eight for loss), 3.5 sacks, an interception and a forced fumble. PFF still labeled Murray as the third-worst full-time linebacker (among off-ball regulars). PFF has graded Murray outside the top 70 at his position in four of his five seasons. The Cowboys will take what amounts to a flier here, as they have Eric Kendricks — after ex-Vikings HC Mike Zimmer‘s second Cowboys stint was a one-and-done — unsigned and DeMarvion Overshown rehabbing a serious injury.

The Chargers had benched Murray in 2021, but by his contract year, he teamed with Kendricks and played 93% of the Bolts’ defensive snaps. Murray, 26, saw action on 94% of Tennessee’s defensive plays last season. That came in a 3-14 campaign that led to GM Ran Carthon‘s ouster. Nevertheless, Murray will have a clear path to first-string work to start Dallas’ 2025 season.

Titans Not Interested In Russell Wilson

March 12th, 2025 at 12:35pm CST by Sam Robinson

Even as we near the 2025 league year, Aaron Rodgers has commanded enough attention he is holding up the quarterback market. Set to turn 42 later this year, the all-time QB talent is believed to be the first choice of the Steelers and Giants. The Vikings are lurking, even if they do not appear the favorite here.

Wilson has emerged as a backup plan for the Steelers and likely the Giants as well (via NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport). If Wilson does not land in New York or back in Pittsburgh, finding a fit may be difficult. Not connected to the Vikings, Wilson also does not look to be an option for the Titans. Tennessee is not interested in the 13-year veteran, SI.com’s Albert Breer notes.

The Titans were connected to Sam Darnold before the market opened, but the team was not viewed as likely to exceed $30MM per year for the 2024 Pro Bowler. The Seahawks did, giving Darnold a three-year, $100.5MM contract. Tennessee was not believed to be interested in a reclamation-project-type arm, pointing the team away from some of free agency’s options. Though, Wilson would not profile as such. The decorated ex-Seahawk is nearing the end of a great career; there is not much mystery to the 36-year-old passer at this point. Even though Wilson would provide the Titans with some veteran certainty, they are looking elsewhere.

Tennessee has not been closely tied to Rodgers, either. The team still has Will Levis and is open to bringing back Mason Rudolph. The Titans coming out of free agency without a starter-caliber veteran will point them to a quarterback in the first round. Holding the No. 1 overall pick, the Titans have Cam Ward backers in their building — even as trade-down rumors have swirled. A Shedeur Sanders selection would seemingly hinge on how far Tennessee moves down, should it opt to add assets in exchange for No. 1 overall.

The Steelers gave Wilson their starting job out of training camp. This, however, came as Justin Fields closed the gap between the two passers — after a stream of offseason assurances the job was Wilson’s — while the older QB battled a nagging calf injury. After aggravating the calf issue, Wilson missed six games. Player and assistant support for Fields to keep the gig existed, but Mike Tomlin “acted alone” in reinstalling Wilson. This route helped guide the Steelers to 10-3, but Wilson lost momentum after Pittsburgh’s season ended with a five-game losing streak. Wilson and OC Arthur Smith also clashed about the offensive direction, which reminds of Wilson’s issues late in his Seattle days and during his two-year Denver stint.

While Wilson has spoken to the Steelers about a deal, it was clear Fields was the team’s preference. The nine-time Pro Bowler may not be a slam-dunk Hall of Famer, after the past three seasons, but he is the NFL’s third-leading QB rusher and coming off a season in which he ranked 23rd in QBR (two spots north of Rodgers). Following a 16-TD, five-INT 11-game sample in Pittsburgh — at 7.4 yards per attempt, which is much higher than Rodgers’ 2024 number (6.7) — Wilson will not be guaranteed a starting job in 2025.

Titans To Sign WR Van Jefferson

March 12th, 2025 at 8:45am CST by Sam Robinson

After a year in Pittsburgh, Van Jefferson is on the move again. The Titans are bringing in the former Rams Super Bowl starter, Fox Sports’ Jordan Schultz reports.

Jefferson has since played for the Falcons and Steelers. He worked as a George Pickens sidekick in 2024. He will join a Tennessee team that lost Nick Westbrook-Ikhine (to the Dolphins) on Tuesday. Jefferson is a Nashville-area native; he will join the Titans on a one-year contract worth up to $2.5MM.

The former second-round pick was part of a low-level Los Angeles-to-Atlanta trade in 2023 and is still searching for the form that helped the Rams win Super Bowl LVI despite injuries to Robert Woods and Odell Beckham Jr. It would be difficult to expect Jefferson to approach the 869 yards he tallied with the ’21 Rams — during a season in which he added 102 more yards alongside Beckham and Cooper Kupp in the playoffs — as the Florida alum has only eclipsed 300 receiving yards in just one other season. Last year, Jefferson totaled 276 and two touchdowns in Pittsburgh.

Jefferson played on a one-year, $1.29MM deal with the Steelers last season. He started 12 games for the team, one that pursued veteran receivers for months before landing on Mike Williams at the deadline. Williams’ presence cut into Jefferson’s role, and the Steelers finally landed their impact receiver addition by acquiring D.K. Metcalf via trade Sunday night.

The Titans most likely have more work to do at receiver, having traded DeAndre Hopkins midway through last season and having seen Tyler Boyd return to free agency Monday. Calvin Ridley is signed for three more seasons, and Treylon Burks‘ rookie contract covers one more — as the 2022 first-rounder’s fifth-year option will almost definitely not be exercised.

Minor NFL Transactions: 3/11/24

March 11th, 2025 at 10:23pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

Here are today’s minor moves from around the NFL:

Buffalo Bills

Chicago Bears

Dallas Cowboys

Detroit Lions

Houston Texans

Indianapolis Colts

Kansas City Chiefs

Los Angeles Rams

Miami Dolphins

New Orleans Saints

Tennessee Titans

Washington Commanders

Anger is a 13-year veteran who has spent the last four years in Dallas, which included Pro Bowl and second-team All-Pro honors in 2021 and 2023. He will stay with the Cowboys on a two-year deal, per ESPN’s Todd Archer.

Tonyan had a few strong seasons in Green Bay earlier in his career, but he has struggled to produce over the last two years. He spent 2024 in Minnesota, but only played 15 snaps on offense with zero targets. He will add tight end depth in Kansas City.

Stoops received a two-game suspension for violating the NFL’s Performance-Enhancing Substances Policy, per NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero. He will be eligible to participate in training camp and preseason games, but will be sidelined for the first two games of the regular season.

McNichols is staying in Washington on a one-year deal, according to Pelissero. The seven-year veteran appeared in 17 games for the Commanders in 2024 and rushed for 261 yards and four touchdowns on 55 attempts. McNichols will likely continue as Washington’s RB3 behind Brian Robinson and Austin Ekeler.

RFA/ERFA Tender Decisions: 3/11/25

March 11th, 2025 at 10:08pm CST by Sam Robinson

Tuesday’s tender decisions in the NFL:

RFAs

Non-tendered:

The Titans have made the decision to sign the NFL’s most decorated active punter, Johnny Hekker, to replace Stonehouse. The team informed Stonehouse he will not be tendered, per the Denver Gazette’s Chris Tomasson; the low-end RFA number comes in at $3.26MM this year. Stonehouse stands to generate interest, as he brought down one of the longest-standing records in NFL history — Sammy Baugh‘s single-season punting average set more than 70 years ago. Stonehouse not only broke Baugh’s record by averaging 53.1 yards per punt in 2022 but repeated that average in 2023 as well. A broken leg suffered on a late-season blocked punt in 2023 led to extensive rehab, but Stonehouse still averaged 50.6 per boot in 2024.

Similarly, Gibbens will be hitting unrestricted free agency (via ESPN’s Adam Schefter) after playing a regular role. The former UDFA has made 20 career starts, including 13 in 2023. Gibbens made 95 tackles (three for loss) and notched three passes defensed that year. The Titans have since added Kenneth Murray (2024) and Cody Barton (Monday), leaving Gibbens — whom the team only used as a five-game starter last year — free to explore outside options.

Titans To Sign P Johnny Hekker

March 11th, 2025 at 8:30pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

The Titans are signing veteran punter Johnny Hekker to a one-year, fully-guaranteed deal, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

In Tennessee, Hekker will reunite with his first NFL coach, special teams coordinator John Fassel. Fassell held the same position with the Rams when Hekker signed with the team as an undrafted free agent in 2012.

The former Oregon State Beaver emerged as one of the league’s top punters in his second year, limiting opponents to just 79 punt return yards on his way to Pro Bowl and first-team All-Pro honors. He earned a second-team All-Pro nod in 2014 before ripping off three straight years as a Pro Bowler and first-team All-Pro. Hekker led the league in punts, punt yardage, and yards per punt in 2015 with similar production in 2016. Improvements to the Rams offense under Sean McVay in 2017 reduced Hekker’s volume, but he remained effective at pinning opponents deep in their own territory.

Hekker was consistently paid as a top-five punter after his first contract expired and remained in Los Angeles until 2021. He then signed a three-year deal with the Panthers, but has not been able to recreate the early-career success that landed him on the NFL 2010s All-Decade Team.

Still, at 35 years old, Hekker remains an effective, consistent punter who will likely have plenty of work in Tennessee. He is also the NFL’s active leader in total punts and punt yardage who may have a shot at the Hall of Fame after he retires.

Titans To Add S Xavier Woods

March 11th, 2025 at 6:14pm CST by Sam Robinson

After three Panthers seasons, Xavier Woods hit the market Monday. He will commit to the Titans, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

The former Dallas, Minnesota and Carolina safety will head to Tennessee on a two-year, $10MM contract. Woods is coming off playing every defensive snap for the Panthers last season.

Tennessee’s offer will keep Woods at the same pay rate, as he was attached to a three-year, $15MM Carolina contract. With the cap having gone up more than $70MM since Woods’ Panthers pact became official, this is a pay cut of sorts. But Woods is going into an age-30 season compared to being squarely in his prime at that point.

A fixture in Ejiro Evero’s Panthers defense, Woods remained an every-down player despite the current Carolina DC not being in place at the time of signing. Jeremy Chinn fell out of favor with Evero, Woods did not. Woods has logged 100% snap rates twice in his career, also doing so with the 2021 Vikings. He played at least 91% of the Panthers’ defensive snaps in 2022 and ’23. The former sixth-round pick has started every game since his second season.

Woods intercepted five passes over the past two seasons. He was more impactful as a tackler last year, totaling a career-high 119. The Titans signed both discarded Seahawk safeties — Quandre Diggs, Jamal Adams — last year but moved on from Adams quickly and did not give Diggs a multiyear deal. Amani Hooker remains under contract. Although the Titans were connected to Jevon Holland, the Giants added him on a $15MM-per-year deal. Hooker is already tied to a $10MM-AAV accord. Woods appears en route to be a cost-effective starter alongside the six-year Titan.

Minor NFL Transactions: 3/10/25

March 10th, 2025 at 10:41pm CST by Ely Allen

Here are today’s minor NFL moves that may have been missed during an otherwise extremely busy first day of the tampering period:

Arizona Cardinals

Chicago Bears

Denver Broncos

Detroit Lions

Indianapolis Colts

Jacksonville Jaguars

Kansas City Chiefs

Las Vegas Raiders

Miami Dolphins

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

San Francisco 49ers

Tennessee Titans

Washington Commanders

Broncos, LB Dre Greenlaw Agree To Deal

March 10th, 2025 at 6:36pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Broncos are investing heavily in recent 49ers defensive standouts. Dre Greenlaw will be joining Talanoa Hufanga in Denver, The Athletic’s Dianna Russini reports.

This agreement ends a six-season Greenlaw stay in San Francisco. Like Hufanga, Greenlaw saw the back end of his Bay Area stay marred by injuries. The Broncos will take a chance on another standout starter (when healthy) and one whose setback played a central role in a Super Bowl outcome.

Greenlaw will join the Broncos on a three-year, $35MM accord, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reports. Despite a seminal Achilles tear in Super Bowl LVIII and barely playing last season, Greenlaw will score a much better deal than he did when he signed a 49ers extension (two years, $16.4MM). In need at linebacker, the Broncos will bet on the form Greenlaw showed alongside Fred Warner.

A strong coverage player before suffering the Achilles injury — one sustained while trotting onto the field during the first half against the Chiefs — Greenlaw combined to make 147 tackles from 2022-23. He and Warner became a top-tier linebacking duo, but injuries have been an issue for Greenlaw beyond that Super Bowl. The former fifth-round find missed 14 games in 2021 due to a groin injury. Last season, Greenlaw did not debut until December; he logged just 30 snaps upon being activated.

While an argument exists Greenlaw’s injury cost the 49ers a championship, a player Pro Football Focus tabbed a top-25 linebacker (ninth in 2022) will attempt to help a Broncos team that lost Cody Barton (to the Titans) earlier today. Denver lost Alex Singleton to an ACL tear in Week 3 of last season, using Barton and special-teamer Justin Strnad as its primary LBs. Strnad is also a free agent, while Singleton is going into an age-31 season coming off a major injury. The Broncos probably are not done at ILB, but Greenlaw profiles as their new centerpiece there.

The Titans, Texans and Cowboys showed preliminary Greenlaw interest, per The Exhibit’s Josina Anderson, but the Broncos will come out of Day 1 with two ex-49ers bastions.

Steelers, Giants In On Aaron Rodgers; Latest On Russell Wilson Market

March 10th, 2025 at 5:23pm CST by Sam Robinson

Seeing Justin Fields prefer to test his market rather than re-sign with the Steelers before free agency, Pittsburgh viewed it as necessary to enter talks with outside QB options. Although one target (Sam Darnold) is off the board, a much bigger name remains.

The Steelers are indeed in talks with Aaron Rodgers, per the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Gerry Dulac and Ray Fittipaldo. They might have a real chance to add the future first-ballot Hall of Famer. Although the Giants are believed to be eyeing Rodgers as their preferred bridge option, SNY’s Connor Hughes indicates some around the league expect Rodgers to end up in Pittsburgh.

The Giants are waiting to see if Rodgers is truly interested in staying in New York, Hughes adds. If Rodgers proves elusive for the Giants, Hughes adds they are still interested in Russell Wilson. Though, a handful of other teams are as well. While the Jets, Raiders and Seahawks checked the veteran QB box off their respective to-do lists, the Titans and Browns join the Giants and Steelers in pursuit of at least a bridge option. Cleveland’s Kenny Pickett acquisition may not represent the team’s true veteran option.

Tennessee is interested in Wilson as well, Hughes reports. The team was believed to be showing interest in Darnold before free agency, but a price ceiling — one that checked in south of where Seattle ended up going — came into play regarding that push. Wilson would profile as a stopgap for a Titans team that is not certain to exit Round 1 with a passer. Though, Tennessee would have the right of first refusal here due to holding the No. 1 pick.

As it stands, the Steelers do not appear interested in re-signing Wilson, per Dulac and Fittipaldo. The QB impressed at points but clashed with Arthur Smith during a season that ended with a five-game skid. The Steelers had been in talks with Wilson, but after so much noise came out about a Fields re-signing, the veteran may look elsewhere as well. Though, the Post-Gazette cautions Wilson could be back in play depending on where things settle. He does not look like the Steelers’ preferred option. It remains to be seen how serious the Steelers are about adding Rodgers. A few dominoes remain on the QB market as the legal tampering period rolls on.

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