Tennessee Titans salary cap: How much cap space do they have in 2021?
The Tennessee Titans have one of the smallest cap spaces available in the league.This is due in part to their participation in free agency this offseason. The Titans signed some key players and let go of a few others in an effort to fix the issues they had in defense during the period. The Titans also have three more drafted rookies to sign.
How much cap space do the Tenneseee Titans have?
The Tennessee Titans have had an eventful offseason, losing Jonnu Smith, Adoree Jackson, Adam Humphries, Corey Davis and Jadeveon Clowney in free agency.
The Titans couldn't realistically have managed to sign all four. In their place, the Titans signed three highly-touted defensive players. Linebacker Bud Dupree signed for five years ($82,500,000), cornerback Janoris Jenkins signed for two years ($15,000,000) and defensive end Denico Autry joined for three years ($21,500,000).
After signing these free agents and having already secured the services of five of their 2021 draft picks, the Tennessee Titans have a mere $3,632,693 left in cap space for the 2021 season. The Titans have signed first-round pick CB Caleb Farley, second-round pick OT Dillon Radunz, fourth-round pick WR Dez Fitzpatrick and sixth-round picks WR Tracey McMath and S Brady Breeze.
Still left to sign are third-round picks LB Monty Rice and DB Elijah Molden, as well as Rashad Weaver, whom the Titans drafted in the fourth round.
The Titans were so desperate to re-sign linebacker Jayon Brown that they literally made up a contract. It was reported that the Titans and Brown had agreed to a three-year deal worth just $5,300,000 for the starting linebacker who was drafted in 2017 and had two seasons where he has reached 100 tackles. He also made at least one interception in each of his pro seasons.
The catch to this "contract"? It was actually a one-year deal with the second and third years voidable by the Titans. Meaning that his $5,300,000 was spread out across three years so it wouldn't hit the cap too hard. Surprisingly enough, this is a legal move in the NFL and typically only used when a team has significant cap issues.
This season, teams across the NFL have been using this technique because the cap set by the NFL is lower due to the financial setbacks caused by COVID-19. The Titans should get a little relief next season when the cap space is expected to increase.