Tennessee
Tennessee Titans NFL free agents 2025: Best players to re-sign, who must be let go
The Tennessee Titans have a long list of players set to hit free agency when the NFL league year starts anew on Wednesday, March 12, ranging from veterans who could easily find their way into starting lineups to younger players still trying to find their foothold.
NFL teams will be permitted to begin negotiating with free agents and their representatives on March 10, and several players will agree to contracts in the minutes and hours that follow. Others may carry their free agencies into the summer, electing not to sign until the start of training camp.
As free agency begins, let’s go position-by-position through the Titans’ pending free agents and organize them by how much the Titans should want to bring them back.
Quarterbacks
Mason Rudolph ― Don’t bring back: There are plenty of backup quarterback options on the market this offseason, many who have higher upside as in-a-pinch starters than the production Rudolph flashed in 2024.
Running backs
Julius Chestnut ― Keep options open: The Titans need a reliable power back. There should be plenty of opportunities to find one in the NFL draft. But that doesn’t mean Chestnut can’t try to find a way onto the roster or practice squad in camp.
Joshua Kelley ― Don’t bring back: Maybe he can provide some special teams value, but the Titans barely used Kelley in 2024. Enrich the roster some place else.
Wide receivers
Nick Westbrook-Ikhine ― Make an offer: Don’t overpay here, but try to keep him around. Westbrook-Ikhine is a valuable and productive player who should be considered a valuable No. 3 or No. 4 option. Try to bring him back, but don’t let sentimentality cloud judgment.
Tay Martin ― Keep options open: Give him a chance in training camp. Solid practice squad option.
Tyler Boyd ― Don’t bring back: Boyd served his purpose last year helping the Titans’ skill guys acclimate to coach Brian Callahan’s offense. But the Titans need to get younger and faster at receiver.
Tight ends
Nick Vannett ― Keep options open: Vannett’s veteran savvy serves a purpose. If he wants to come back, he’s worth a roster spot. But it’s not a make-or-break signing.
Offensive line
Dillon Radunz ― Stay in touch: There are worse fates than running things back with Radunz at right guard in 2025. If that’s the case, so be it. But as the Titans continue to reconfigure their offensive line, paying for a bigger-ticket option or drafting a younger player with higher upside both feel like more viable choices.
Daniel Brunskill ― Stay in touch: If Brunskill wants to pursue options as a starter, the Titans can move on. If he’s willing to come back on a deal as a rotational backup piece, he’s worth a roster spot.
Corey Levin ― Keep options open: Another valuable depth piece who won’t break the bank if he wants to come back and compete for a spot again.
Andrew Rupcich ― Keep options open: Unfortunate injury timing derailed his 2024. That doesn’t mean his career should be over.
Defensive line
Sebastian Joseph-Day ― Bring him back: He won’t garner the kind of attention T’Vondre Sweat and Jeffery Simmons do, but he’s an important piece on the defensive front. Sign him to another deal and use him to fill multiple roles.
James Lynch ― Keep options open: He’s a solid player who, at the very least, has some value competing for a spot in camp.
Marlon Davidson ― Keep options open: Davidson was poised for a role on last year’s team before getting injured. There’s no guarantee he’ll be able to win that role in 2025, but it could be worth seeing how he recovers.
Keondre Coburn ― Don’t bring back: His relationship with Sweat matters, but Coburn hasn’t produced much in his two years in Nashville.
TK McLendon Jr. ― Don’t bring back: The Titans made do without him last year and can continue to find bodies at his spot.
Linebacker
Jack Gibbens ― Make an offer: There’s clearly something there when he’s on the field. He’s got holes in his game, and it’s hard to see him as an every-down linebacker. But the value is real.
Luke Gifford ― Make an offer: He does his jobs on special teams well. He shouldn’t get starter money, but he’s worth a roster spot.
Otis Reese IV ― Keep options open: Reese is a solid special teams player with athletic upside. If he wants to stick around, let him compete for a spot.
Chance Campbell ― Keep options open: It’s hard not to get sentimental with how bad Campbell’s injury luck has been. But he’s going on three years without really playing football at this point. He’s got to really prove himself.
Garret Wallow ― Keep options open: Solid depth piece. Played well before getting hurt in training camp. Could be worth a shot.
Jerome Baker ― Don’t bring back: His brief time in Nashville was a disappointment at best. Move on.
Raekwon McMillan ― Don’t bring back: His two-game Titans tenure didn’t mean enough to justify another year.
Defensive backs
Justin Hardee ― Bring him back: Hardee’s importance to the Titans’ special teams units last year was massive. As the team rebuilds in these spaces, Hardee matters.
Quandre Diggs ― Make an offer: If Diggs wants to come back to Nashville, the Titans should sign him. Keep an eye out for younger options too, but Diggs is a difference-maker.
Darrell Baker Jr. ― Make an offer: There’s some potential here. Let him incubate for another year and see how he develops.
Mike Brown ― Keep options open: Brown does his job. The Titans can rely on that again, but don’t need to value him as a starter.
Specialists
Ryan Stonehouse ― Bring him back: No-brainer. Protect him and let him keep booming punts.
Morgan Cox ― Make an offer: Consistency is key at long snapper, and Cox’s consistency hasn’t dropped off yet. If he wants back, sign him.
Nick Folk ― Make an offer: There’s still plenty of juice in Folk’s leg. It’s less a matter of if the Titans should want to bring him back than it is what Folk sees about his own future.
Nick Suss is the Titans beat writer for The Tennessean. Contact Nick at nsuss@gannett.com. Follow Nick on X, the platform formerly called Twitter, @nicksuss.
Tennessee
Former Tennessee Football Legend Accepts SEC Coaching Gig
The Tennessee Volunteers have been one of the main teams when it comes to producing talent and sending talent to the NFL, which is something that has often been discovered as a standard for the football program. This is something that has been going on for quite some time and isn’t anything new to the news cycle, as the Vols have been able to produce plenty of talented prospects.
Tennessee is the home of many stars, including some of the best defensive players in SEC history. Guys like Eric Berry have found their way through the Tennessee program and onto the NFL, where they would have legendary careers. However, the defensive side of the football is the only side that has produced plenty of talent, as Tennessee has produced a lot of offensive talent as well. With the likes of Peyton Manning and company, the Vols have shown a great track record in getting talent drafted.
The Vols have produced someone who could be considered as one of the best players to play the Tide end position, as the Knoxville, Tennessee program is the home to Dallas Cowboys legend, Jason Witten. Witten is someone who made the most of his career and has been viewed as a top player at the Tide in position, and someone who is often referred to as a legend for the Cowboys, along with being a legend in the game of football as a whole.
Jason Witten Accepts TE Coach Position For Oklahoma
Witten is now taking a new gig, which has him in a huge role inside the Southeastern Conference. The Vols legend is now the tight end coach for the Oklahoma Sooners. The Sooners have had some success out of their tight ends in the past, but the sky is the limit with a guy like Witten coaching up the players. Witten has the opportunity to do really well, as coaching tight ends won’t be an issue, and you have to imagine that he will be able to recruit very well, considering he has a huge name around him, as this is something that we have seen from positional coaches as well as head coaches who have done great work in the league. You have to imagine that the Vols will now have stiff competition for his son, Cooper, who is a five-star recruit for the upcoming 2027 class at the linebacker position.
More Vols News
Tennessee
Tennessee Football DB Transfer Boo Carter Visits the Vols Rival
The Tennessee Volunteers are looking to land many of the nation’s best players in the transfer portal to replace the players who have already announced they are transferring away from Tennessee. One of the players they lost very early on to the portal, and his plans of entering the portal is Boo Carter.
Carter is someone who has quickly made a name for himself, as he played for the Vols as a freshman. He also played for the Tennessee Vols this past season before suffering an injury that sidelined him for the rest of the season. Carter entered the portal and left an announcement on his X page for those interested. Here is what was said.
“I’d like to take this opportunity to thank The University of Tennessee Coaches, administrators and fans for a wonderful 2 years. Unfortunately my season has been cut short due to injury. I have decided to enter the transfer portal and I am excited about the opportunities going forward!-Boo Carter”
Boo Carter Visits Vanderbilt
Now that the portal is here, he has started to hear from many teams, including a team many anticipated to be in the picture. The Vols DB heard from the Vanderbilt staff and is now reportedly visiting them. This is a school where many of his friends go currently, and a school that has been doing well, but it is no secret that this is one of the Vols’ biggest rivalries.
He is undecided on a possible commitment somewhere, but the reports have started to indicate that the Commodores are a team to watch moving forward. This will be one to watch for the Vols, as there is a good chance they may see Carter next season.
“Dynamic athlete who quickly made an impact on defense and special teams as a true freshman … Earned the starting STAR position and shined while becoming a dangerous weapon as a punt returner as a true freshman in 2024 … Saw action as a slot receiver as well during 2025 spring practices … Early enrollee in January 2024 who participated in Citrus Bowl practices and spring practice before his true freshman season … Has compiled 63 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss, two sacks, three forced fumbles, three pass breakups and one interception on defense in his career … Dynamic punt returner who averages 16.0 yards per return in his career … Played in 21 career games and made five starts,” the Tennessee Vols athletics website stated.
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Tennessee
Tennessee Football Misses on Major Transfer Portal Target
The Tennessee Volunteers have been looking to land the best of the best when it comes to the transfer portal, and they have been targeting the best, but as of recently, all it has been is a bunch of swings and misses.
The Vols have missed yet again, as they have failed to land one of their top targets on their board when it comes to the college football transfer portal at a position that they currently need more than any. That position is the cornerback position, which is one that they need very badly.
The player that they failed to land in this go-around is Troy cornerback Jaquez White. White is one of the better players that the portal has seen at the position, as he was easily named as a top portal target for many. He was seriously looking at Tennessee, and the Vols were ready to bring him in, but instead, he has opted to commit to the Virginia Tech Hokies. The Hokies have done a decent job in the portal thus far, but their portal class has definitely improved following the addition of White.
Whether this is a money thing or the Vols just couldn’t do enough convincing, the point is that they have missed on guys left and right recently. The vision isn’t clear, but fans are hopeful that it will be soon.
Here is what White did in his 2025 season according to the Troy website.
Jaquez White’s 2025 Season
“Earned All-Sun Belt Second Team honors … Ranked third in the league (seventh nationally) with 14 total passes defended and fourth (15th nationally) with 11 pass break ups … Started 12 games and played in all 14 contests … Returned an interception 30 yards for a touchdown in Troy’s victory over Louisiana; added interceptions against Nicholls and in Sun Belt Championship Game at James Madison … Finished season with 67 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss and a sack … Sack came in Troy’s win over South Alabama; added five tackles, a quarterback hurry and a pass break up in the game … Season-best seven tackles against Memphis … Broke up four passes in win at ULM and had a pair at Southern Miss … Troy’s top-rated defender per PFF with an 87.6 rating … Played 879 defensive snaps, second most on the team … Third-rated cornerback in the country (min. 700 snaps) per PFF and fourth-rated cover corner … Held opponents to a 54.5 reception percentage (36-of-66).”
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