NASHVILLE, Tenn. – In Cody Barton, the Titans get an inside linebacker who covers better than his PFF grades indicate and a player who should be on the field all the time for the Titans’ defense.
"He’s a solid three-down linebacker,” said former Titans scout Blake Beddingfield, who contributes to PK.com. He upgrades Jack Gibbens. Barton keeps improving as a backer after being exclusively a special teamer early in his career. The Titans paid a price but needed a three-down player.”
The price is $21 million over three years, per Ian Rapoport
Here are excellent breakdowns from James Foster, part one and part two.
Barton was a third-round pick by Seattle in 2019 out of Utah. He ran a 4.64 coming out of college. He's listed at 6-foot-2, 237 pounds.
Over his first three seasons, he started just five games while working primarily as a special teamer, but broke through in 2022 with 11 starts, including the Seahawks' final six.
He was a regular for the Commanders in 2023 after he signed a one-year, $3.5 million contract and with the Broncos last season on a one-year $2.5 million deal.
We don't know the contract details yet but if the total is accurate he has boosted his average per 
year to $7 million with Tennessee.
The Titans are in need as 2024 fourth-rounder Cedric Gray proved nothing as a rookie, seventh-rounder James Williams is a raw unknown and Otis Reese is more of a special teamer.
The smart Jack Gibbens is an exclusive rights-free agent yet to be tendered or re-signed. He tends to be a coverage liability. His season ended with a terrible ankle injury in November.
Oft-injured Chance Campbell is slated to be a restricted free agent while Garrett Wallow, special teamer Luke Gifford, Raekwon McMillan and Jerome Baker are all heading for unrestricted free agency.
