Mike Borgonzi has kept leaning on familiarity as he rebuilds the Titans’ cornerback room, and the latest move fits the pattern.
Tennessee agreed to terms with cornerback Nazeeh Johnson before training camp opened, giving the team its fourth new addition at the position this offseason. Johnson is also the second former Kansas City Chiefs cornerback to land with the Titans, joining Joshua Williams.
That connection matters here. Borgonzi was in Kansas City when the Chiefs drafted both Williams and Johnson, and the Titans’ offseason has been full of that kind of overlap. He already signed defensive end Malik Herring and punter Tommy Townsend, two more players he knew from his time with the Chiefs.
The cornerback overhaul was unavoidable after Borgonzi stripped the room down by trading Jarvis Brownlee and Roger McCreary, then cutting L’Jarius Sneed. When free agency opened, he brought in Alontae Taylor, Cor’Dale Flott, and Williams to become the team’s top three new boundary corners.
Borgonzi didn’t know Flott and Taylor from Kansas City, but he still committed significant money to make them the new starters. For the depth behind them, though, he turned to names he already knew. Williams was the first of those familiar faces, and now Johnson is in the mix too.
The broader picture is hard to miss. Nearly every free agent the Titans added this offseason came with a link to Borgonzi or the new coaching staff.
Daniel Bellinger, Flott, Austin Schlottmann, and Wan’Dale Robinson have ties to Brian Daboll. John Franklin-Myers, Jacob Martin, Solomon Thomas, Tony Adams, and Jordan Elliott are among the players connected to Robert Saleh.
On the field, Williams looks like the clear favorite to serve as the Titans’ top backup corner on the outside behind Flott and Taylor. Johnson’s path is less certain. He is not locked into a 53-man roster spot, but he has a real shot to compete for the fifth cornerback job against Micah Robinson, Keydrain Calligan, and several undrafted rookie free agents.
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Titans Just Got An Urgent Warning They Cannot Afford To Ignore
The Titans tackle situation has quickly become one of the more important camp storylines, and it is easy to see why. With the offensive line still taking shape around a young quarterback, Tennessee cannot afford to let depth at one of the games most unforgiving positions become an afterthought, especially if the team wants to keep its protection plans intact once the hits start coming in August.
One possible answer would be to add a veteran who can steady the right side and give the staff some flexibility if injuries force more shuffling up front. There is also a path where the Titans could lean on a familiar face to help stabilize the room, while another injury elsewhere could push JC Latham into a different role and leave the right tackle spot to be filled on the fly. For a team trying to build around Cam Ward, the margin for error on the edge already looks thin. [Read more 🡒]
Titans Camp Just Raised A Bigger Question About The Backup QB
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The more immediate question, though, sits behind Ward. Will Levis was out there but did not make a strong first impression, while Mitch Trubisky was held out because of tightness, leaving the backup conversation a little murkier than the Titans probably wanted on Day 1. With camp only just beginning, there is still time for one of them to separate, but this is already shaping up as a spot worth watching closely. [Read more 🡒]
John Franklin-Myers Just Sent Titans Fans A Message They Needed
The first day of Titans training camp brought a little more than the usual summer optimism, as John Franklin-Myers stepped in front of reporters and made it clear he did not view Tennessee as a team starting over. After arriving in Nashville, the defensive tackle projected confidence in the roster around him and in the direction the franchise is trying to take under head coach Robert Saleh, a tone that fit the teams push to show it can be better right away.
Franklin-Myers message matters because the Titans have spent plenty of time fighting off outside labels, and the line between a reset and a real step forward can get blurry before the pads come on. He sounded convinced the pieces are there for Tennessee to compete, and his arrival adds another experienced voice to a defense the Titans believe can improve quickly if the new group comes together the way they expect. [Read more 🡒]