Tyler’s Take: NFL Draft Plans Should Not Be Altered by Free Agent Signings

The Tennessee Titans have made a handful of moves in free agency to bolster the roster, but based on the contracts given out, the Titans’ draft strategy should not be much different than before the signings were made.

NASHVILLE — The Tennessee Titans have added quite a few new faces in free agency. They have made additions to the offensive line, the front seven on defense and at cornerback, but the reality is none of the players they added are likely to be long-term solutions and with that being the case, they should not alter their draft plans from whatever they were before the signings occurred.

This statement can be seen as controversial at most and pessimistic at best. I think the truth is though, the Titans agree. The contract details tell us. Every move the Titans have made so far has told us they were only interested in short-term commitment with any of these players. Every contract has limited financial penalty in future years and the majority of the guaranteed money coming in the first two seasons, if not only in the first.

Take Andre Dillard for example. He has been the biggest name and biggest money deal the Titans have done so far. It was reported as a three-year deal worth $29 million, but as we get more information, we can see it a bit differently. According to a report from Brad Spielberger, from Pro Football Focus, Dillard’s deal includes $10 million in fully guaranteed money at signing. That essentially makes it a year-to-year deal where the Titans are only committed to one season. They don’t trust Dillard to be a long-term option either.

Per source, OL Andre Dillard’s new deal with the Titans has a base value of $29M over three years, with $6M more in incentives

- $10M fully guaranteed at signing
- $3M more vests in 2024

Dillard earned a 71.7 pass block grade in 2021 at left tackle, also played guard in 2022

— Brad Spielberger, Esq. (@SpielbergerBrad) March 20, 2023

Arden Key is the player who got the most guaranteed money at $13 million. $13 million is a little less than two-thirds of the total money on Key’s three-year deal, so that makes it a two-year commitment in essence. Every other deal the Titans made includes far less guaranteed money and only a one-year commitment. They are giving out prove-it deals and hoping a couple stick.

I have no issue with that approach if the Titans are trying to find wins with limited resources, but what they can’t do is let one of these signings prevent them from drafting someone they think is a long-term answer. For example, Ran Carthon cannot say, “we love Paris Johnson Jr, but we can’t draft him because we signed Andre Dillard or we love Lukas Van Ness, but we brought in Arden Key so we should pass.” Regardless of what prospect you put in those sentences, that would be a huge mistake.

With the limited financial commitment the Titans made to all of their signings, they simply shouldn’t let any of them prevent moves that secure those spots for the future. I don’t care of Dillard is best at left tackle. You gave him a one-year, $10 million deal in my eyes, so if Johnson Jr or Peter Skoronski or Broderick Jones or whoever is there and you think it is a real issue-ender, you take him and deal with Dillard later. Slide him to guard, make him a backup. Who cares.

The future has to take priority in this draft for the Titans. The odds of truly competing for a championship in 2023 are so low that it would be unwise to jeopardize a real answer in search of short-term hole filling and just piecing together a starting lineup. None of the signings made have a high enough chance of being a real answer that you can pass on one if you think you found it in the 2023 NFL draft.

Titans Related Stories

BYARD DECLINES PAYCUT: The Tennessee Titans approached All-Pro safety Kevin Byard about a pay cut, but Byard refused to take it, per multiple reports. Byard and the Titans now sit at a “crossroads” in regard to his future with the team. CLICK HERE

TITANS TO SIGN MURPHY-BUNTING: The Titans have addressed one of their other biggest areas of need outside their offensive line with the announcement that they are close to a deal with former Tampa Bay cornerback Sean Murphy-Bunting. CLICK HERE

TITANS FREE AGENT GRADES: The Tennessee Titans have signed five new players so far in free agency, but how smart of a signing was each move? Let’s take a look at some grades for each of the Titans' moves up to this point. CLICK HERE