INDIANAPOLIS – The Titans list of players heading to unrestricted free agency includes five who had major roles on offense or defense when the team was healthy. They are projected to earn an average annual salary of $4 million or more with their new contracts.
The team is pushing hardest to reach an agreement with tight end Chig Okonkwo and right guard Kevin Zeitler, two players with limitations who will still carry over some steadiness and production for the offense.
The undersized Okonkwo is a good run-after-catch weapon but a weak blocker.
He wrote a social media post after the season that made it sound as if he did not expect to return. If the team does manage to strike a deal with him, it would remove tight end from their list of needs and they would move forward with him and second-year Gunner Helm as their top two.
If they don’t agree, the team could change course and move to a different type, perhaps Isaiah Likely or Charlie Kolar from Baltimore or Daniel Bellinger from the Giants, who Brian Daboll knows well.
Thank you Tennessee for allowing me to live out my childhood dreams! Playing in the NFL representing the Titans for the past 4 years has been an unbelievable privilege that I will never take for granted! Thank you Lord for keeping me safe and allowing me to play every game these…
— Chigoziem Okonkwo (@ChigTweets) January 4, 2026
While Zeitler is almost 36, the Titans have a need at center after cutting Lloyd Cushenberry and would like to maintain some continuity on the line rather than filling two spots. He’s a solid influence on JC Latham and probably played better than many realized. I think the feeling is, he’d be better in a second season paired with Latham and under new OL coach Carmen Bricillo.
It seems there is less enthusiasm for others like Sebastian Joseph-Day or Jihad Ward as Robert Saleh rebuilds the defensive front, and Arden Key was never expected back.
Other depth pieces such as Corey Levin, Oli Udoh, Blake Hance, Mike Brown, Darrell Baker and Jaylin Armour-Davis are not top of mind at this stage.
The Titans have an interest in retaining Morgan Cox and Joey Slye. I suspect they will move on from Johnny Hekker.
