Veteran Cornerback Returns on One-year Deal

The 2020 NFL season will by Tye Smith's fourth straight in Tennessee

NASHVILLE – The Tennessee Titans brought back a veteran cornerback Tuesday.

No, not Logan Ryan. He remains one of the bigger names still available on the free agent market.

Tye Smith’s return might not provide a noticeable pop to the Titans’ offseason moves, but it does add some punch to the defense. The team announced that the free agent agreed to terms on a one-year deal that will make the 2020 season his fourth with Tennessee.

The 26-year-old (he will turn 27 in a little more than a week) forced two fumbles and made a pair of notable special teams plays during last season’s run to the playoffs.

In the Dec. 1 victory at Indianapolis, he scored the go-ahead touchdown when he returned a blocked field goal 63 yards. A short time later, he forced a fumble that linebacker Kamalei Correa recovered to preserve the victory.

A week later at Oakland he forced a fumble that linebacker Jayon Brown returned 47 yards for a touchdown.

Smith also made eight tackles (his career high) in each of those games, when injuries led to him getting significant playing time on defense.

For the majority of his time with Tennessee he has been a physical presence on special teams and a reserve cornerback. In his first season with the Titans (2017) he notched his only interception to date and set a career-high with eight special teams tackles. He spent all of 2018 on injured reserve and last season set a career-high with 24 tackles despite the fact that he appeared in just nine game.

A fifth-round draft pick by Seattle in 2015, he appeared in four games as a rookie but was cut at the end of the 2016 season. Smith spent most of that season on Washington’s practice squad.

His return is the latest by a Titans’ role player. Others who preceded him include Correa and fellow outside linebacker Reggie Gilbert, tight ends Anthony Firkser and MyCole Pruitt and special teams stalwart Chris Milton.