Report: Broncos C Lloyd Cushenberry III Signs With Titans

And just like that, Lloyd Cushenberry III is no longer a member of the Denver Broncos.

The NFL's legal tampering window opened on Monday, and the early action has been hot and heavy. The Denver Broncos, after a whirlwind weekend that featured many roster moves and a trade to clear the salary cap and give the team some modest firepower, signed free-agent safety Brandon Jones and saw one of their own agree to terms with a Conference foe. 

According to CBS Sports' Jonathan Jones, former Broncos safety Lloyd Cushenberry III is taking his talents to the Tennessee Titans. 

"The Titans are expected to sign free-agent center Lloyd Cushenberry, source says," Jones reported on X/Twitter. 

The Titans are expected to sign free-agent center Lloyd Cushenberry, source says.

— Jonathan Jones (@jjones9) March 11, 2024

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According to Tom Pelissero, Cushenberry got a record-setting four-year deal from Tennessee worth $50 million. Cushenberry's signing bonus ($18M), full guarantee ($26M), and first-year cash take-home ($20M) are NFL records for a center. 

The #Titans’ deal with Lloyd Cushenberry is for four years, $50 million and sets several records for centers, including signing bonus (over $18M), full guarantee ($26M) and first-year cash ($20M), per source.

A big investment to help Brian Callahan’s offense. pic.twitter.com/2zqHhmcFMB

— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) March 11, 2024

Cushenberry was Denver's third-round pick in 2020 out of LSU. He was earmarked to start on day one, and that's what he did, providing the Broncos with a reliable option at center. 

It wasn't always great, but Cushenberry could be counted on to suit up and be available on gameday. Some stretches of his four-year tenure in Denver were better than others, but his play over the first three seasons was mostly at a replacement level. 

However, as players often do, Cushenberry turned a corner in 2023 — a contract year. He was always a solid run blocker, but he improved dramatically as a pass blocker in Year 4, finishing as a top-10-graded center according to Pro Football Focus.  

Cushenberry's football IQ and leadership will be missed. But the Broncos, over the past two years, preemptively drafted two centers as a hedge against losing Cushenberry in free agency. 

Luke Wattenberg was a 2022 sixth-round pick, while Alex Forsyth was a seventh-rounder last year. Although the former has a little more tenure, Forsyth has to be considered the leader in the clubhouse to succeed Cushenberry as the Broncos' starting center. 

After all, Forsyth was not only a Sean Payton draft pick, but the Broncos head coach also gushed about him as a player with starter potential. Wattenberg and Forsyth will compete in training camp, and it's possible the Broncos draft another candidate. 

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