Report: Broncos C Lloyd Cushenberry III Signs With Titans
The NFL's legal tampering window opened on Monday, and the early action has been hot and heavy. The Denver Broncos, after a whirlwind weekend that featured many roster moves and a trade to clear the salary cap and give the team some modest firepower, signed free-agent safety Brandon Jones and saw one of their own agree to terms with a Conference foe.
According to CBS Sports' Jonathan Jones, former Broncos safety Lloyd Cushenberry III is taking his talents to the Tennessee Titans.
"The Titans are expected to sign free-agent center Lloyd Cushenberry, source says," Jones reported on X/Twitter.
According to Tom Pelissero, Cushenberry got a record-setting four-year deal from Tennessee worth $50 million. Cushenberry's signing bonus ($18M), full guarantee ($26M), and first-year cash take-home ($20M) are NFL records for a center.
Cushenberry was Denver's third-round pick in 2020 out of LSU. He was earmarked to start on day one, and that's what he did, providing the Broncos with a reliable option at center.
It wasn't always great, but Cushenberry could be counted on to suit up and be available on gameday. Some stretches of his four-year tenure in Denver were better than others, but his play over the first three seasons was mostly at a replacement level.
However, as players often do, Cushenberry turned a corner in 2023 — a contract year. He was always a solid run blocker, but he improved dramatically as a pass blocker in Year 4, finishing as a top-10-graded center according to Pro Football Focus.
Cushenberry's football IQ and leadership will be missed. But the Broncos, over the past two years, preemptively drafted two centers as a hedge against losing Cushenberry in free agency.
Luke Wattenberg was a 2022 sixth-round pick, while Alex Forsyth was a seventh-rounder last year. Although the former has a little more tenure, Forsyth has to be considered the leader in the clubhouse to succeed Cushenberry as the Broncos' starting center.
After all, Forsyth was not only a Sean Payton draft pick, but the Broncos head coach also gushed about him as a player with starter potential. Wattenberg and Forsyth will compete in training camp, and it's possible the Broncos draft another candidate.
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