Titans unleash big free agency spending spree to fuel new coach Robert Saleh’s rebuild

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - The Tennessee Titans are spending big in free agency for the second time in three years hoping more money and more talent helps their latest new coach turn around a struggling franchise.

The Titans opened the NFL negotiating window Monday by agreeing to terms with eight new players led by wide receiver Wan'Dale Robinson, cornerback Alontae Taylor and defensive lineman John Franklin-Myers in a spending spree worth at least a reported $270 million.

Robinson's four-year contract is reportedly worth $78 million, while Franklin-Myers has a reported three-year deal worth up to $63 million.

A person familiar with the terms told The Associated Press that Taylor's deal is $60 million over three years. That person spoke on condition of anonymity because agreements cannot become official until the new league year begins Wednesday.

The Titans also added cornerback Cor'Dale Flott, tight end Daniel Bellinger, quarterback Mitchell Trubisky, center Austin Schlottman and guard Cordell Volson, according to a second person familiar with the deals told the AP on condition of anonymity. Agreements also cannot become official until players pass physicals.

Tennessee entered Monday with the second-most salary cap space in the NFL to help new coach Robert Saleh as he takes over a team that went 3-14 last season. The Titans will also open a new enclosed stadium for the 2027 season trying to snap a string of four straight losing seasons with needs all over the roster.

Tennessee traded for pass rusher Jeremiah Johnson on Feb. 26. Johnson had been lobbying the Titans to add his old Jets' teammate Franklin-Myers, a duo who played for Saleh in New York and now are reunited with defensive line coach Aaron Whitecotton, who had that same job with the Jets.

"Time to take my recruiter hat off. We went 1/1 chat," Johnson wrote on social media.

Franklin-Myers joins Pro Bowl defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons and brings his 34 career sacks. Franklin-Myers is coming off the best back-to-back seasons of his career with a combined 14 1/2 sacks for Denver. Simmons had his own reaction to that deal with a pair of eyeball emojis and "It's up!!" on social media.

The Titans also reunited some former Giants with new offensive coordinator Brian Daboll.

Robinson, 25, last season became the first player 5-foot-8 or shorter to eclipse 1,000 yards receiving since 5-7 Richard Johnson in 1989 and just the third since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger, finishing with 1,014 yards on 92 catches.

Rookies Elic Ayomanor and Chimere Dike led Tennessee receivers in catches, receiving yards and touchdowns last season with Calvin Ridley limited to only seven games by injuries. The Titans still have to decide whether to use the out in Ridley's contract to give themselves more cap space.

The Titans also can clear more cap space if they release L'Jarius Sneed from the contract he got when he was traded to Tennessee in March 2024. Sneed has played only 12 games for the Titans with no interceptions, making improving the secondary a must.

Taylor is a Tennessee native who played at the University of Tennessee. The 49th pick overall in 2022 started 53 games with four interceptions at New Orleans. Flott beat out Deonte Banks for the Giants' No. 2 cornerback job last season and has started 37 games.

Daboll also got Bellinger to help quarterback Cam Ward, the No. 1 overall pick last April. Bellinger brings size at 6-foot-6 and 255 pounds to an offense that could lose its top receiver last year in tight end Chig Okonkwo to free agency. Bellinger has 88 catches for 934 yards and four touchdowns in his career.

The Titans have quarterback Will Levis going into the final year of his rookie deal, but Levis missed last season after announcing he was having shoulder surgery right before his team reported for training camp. Veteran Brandon Allen was Ward's backup in 2025.

Now it will be Trubisky, himself the No. 2 overall pick of the 2017 draft by Chicago. Trubisky is 31-26 as a starter who has thrown for 13,028 yards in nine seasons with 78 touchdowns and 48 interceptions. He also was with Pittsburgh in 2022 and 2023.