Titans invest heavily in defense, signaling a bold commitment to Robert Saleh's championship-contending vision for 2026.
The Tennessee Titans had a boatload of money to spend in free agency.
They had the most in the NFL and weren't afraid to put it to good use. The biggest acquisitions were by far Wan'Dale Robinson, John Franklin-Myers, Alontae Taylor and Cor'Dale Flott.
Robinson and the other moves the Titans made on offense, like Austin Schlottmann and Cordell Volson, filled some important needs, but the free agent signings on defense tell a bigger story.
I want to focus on the defense.
All three of those moves filled a major need for the Titans on defense, and a recent NFL trend suggests that it could pay off for the Titans. NFL Stats on X shared how much money each team was going to spend on its defense in 2026.
The Titans had the 12th-most ($140.2 million) money going to their defense this upcoming season.
Playoff teams like the New England Patriots ($161.8 million), Seattle Seahawks ($144.4 million), Chicago Bears ($166.2 million), Denver Broncos ($143.1 million), Pittsburgh Steelers ($186.6 million), Carolina Panthers ($148.2 million), and others understand that while a good offense can do you plenty of favors, it's defense that wins championships.
This tells me that the Titans are putting all of their trust in Robert Saleh.
As fans know, Saleh is a defensive-minded coach, stemming from his time last season as the defensive coordinator with the San Francisco 49ers and his stint as the New York Jets head coach from 2021-24.
Some of the Titans' top players in terms of contract worth are on defense, with Jeffrey Simmons and Amani Hooker commanding a lot of money with their current deals.
Even after covering a lot of the needs in free agency, I wouldn't be surprised if the Titans go with a defensive player like Rueben Bain Jr., David Bailey, or Sonny Styles at No. 4, even after the comments General Manager Mike Borgonzi made about the team's draft strategy.
ESPN's Turron Davenport even named Styles a wild card prospect for the Titans when it comes to the No. 4 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Styles will give the Titans a speed rusher at inside linebacker that the defense so desperately needs, and would hand Saleh a player similar to Fred Warner of the 49ers.
Adding Bain or Bailey would also fill a big need for the Titans. Tennessee needs another starting edge rusher besides Jermaine Johnson. Femi Oladejo and Jacob Martin are projected to start, but another quality talent at the position would go a long way.
Borgonzi is putting his trust in the abilities of Saleh to run a competent defense, and it could pay dividends for the Titans.