The Tennessee Titans released disappointing wide receiver Julio Jones on March 16th. Titans General Manager Jon Robinson labeled the transaction as a post-June 1 designation. The delay saved the Titans $9.5 million against the 2022 salary cap while spreading Jones’ $13.2 million dead cap across the next two seasons. The Titans have now officially received that cap space.
The Titans have been rather quiet in free agency as of late, but it’s more than possible Robinson was waiting for June 2nd to mark its merciless arrival before further exploring the current free agency market. Prior to June, the Titans possessed roughly $2.4 million in cap space (via Spotrac’s Top 51 calculator). It made exploring potential signings nearly impossible. That number has now officially risen exponentially.
Robinson could potentially look to spend his new-found financial freedom in a variety of manners. Upgrading an offensive line that currently possesses question marks at both left guard and right tackle qualifies as possible. Several veteran free agent blockers remain on the market, including Duane Brown, Ereck Flowers, Nate Solder, Darryl Williams, Eric Fisher and Laurent Duvernay-Tardif. These are all starting quality players.
The Titans are unlikely to pursue Odell Beckham Jr., but he’s another notable difference-maker that remains on the market. Several starting-caliber free agents have been waiting for June in hopes of finding more lucrative contract opportunities than what’s been previously offered. June 2 remains a significant date on the NFL calendar because of salary cap implications.
Robinson could also prefer to carry his new-found cap space into the regular season. The Titans have routinely left themselves with enough financial wiggle room to acquire midseason upgrades. Trading for cornerback Desmond King comes to mind. How Robinson approaches the situation remains to be seen, but the Titans now have enough financial freedom to complete a rather substantial acquisition.
Stay tuned to MCM.