The Tennessee Titans may have just handed Brad Holmes a possible fix.
Alontae Taylor, who signed a three-year, $58 million deal with Tennessee in the offseason, was made a healthy scratch for the team’s first 2026 win against the Indianapolis Colts. That move makes it look like Robert Saleh is already done with Taylor one-third of the way through the season, and it could push a rebuilding Titans team toward cutting ties sooner rather than later.
If Tennessee is willing to move him, the Detroit Lions could at least make the call. Detroit passed on Taylor in free agency despite a clear need in the secondary, but a late-round pick might be enough to bring him in now without the Lions having to spend big to do it.
Taylor’s fit in Tennessee has gone sideways fast. He ranked 101st out of 104 qualified cornerbacks this season in Pro Football Focus grading, and part of the problem is simple: he wanted to play outside corner, not nickel. That worked when he was making plays for the New Orleans Saints, but the outside role in a Robert Saleh scheme has not played to his strengths.
The Titans may not love the idea of trading him because of the dead cap hit that would come with moving on. Still, if they’ve already decided he isn’t part of their long-term picture, they may decide to swallow that cost and take whatever they can get.
For Detroit, the appeal is obvious even if the contract is a sore spot. Taylor looked like an overpay from the start, but he was a versatile playmaker in New Orleans and would immediately rank among the Lions’ better corners. He might also come at a price that doesn’t wreck the team’s budget.
And right now, Detroit is searching everywhere. The Lions have already been tied to names like Roger McCreary, Christian Izien, and rookie Keith Abney II while trying to patch up a defense that keeps leaving them exposed. In an NFC North where every team would be in the playoffs if the season ended today, the Lions can’t afford to stand pat at the trade deadline.
Taylor’s truth probably sits somewhere between what he showed at his best with New Orleans in 2024 and what he’s given Tennessee this season. Holmes may not have a huge stash of assets to swing a blockbuster, but buying low on Taylor could be the kind of under-the-radar move that helps Detroit get back on track.
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