Titans Hit Jackpot with Three-Year, $63 Million Signing

The Tennessee Titans' offseason has thus far been the most memorable in years for the franchise. After suffering two back-to-back 3-14 seasons under Brian Callahan, the relief that came with his midseason firing last year was enough to carry folks through the struggles that remained in his wake.

Now, with a new head coach calling the shots in Robert Saleh, the Titans have completely overhauled their reputation as a team trying to compete. That goes beyond the team's updated branding and uniforms and into their litany of signings on either side of the ball throughout free agency.

And in all that wheeling and dealing, Tennessee's agreement with defensive end John Franklin-Myers may end up being the most impactful of the batch. Not only did the Titans manage to strike a balanced contract, but the playmaker was arguably the most lethal on the defensive side of the ball in this year's field.

Hitting the Jackpot

Myers, a former pupil of Saleh during their respective tenures with the New York Jets, described his connection with the coach by saying, "we have one of the best relationships in football I would say... I appreciate coach Saleh because I can always count on him."

That's as good a bedrock as any recent signee could ask for, but Myers' promise goes far past his ties to Tennessee's staff; the DE posted 7.5 sacks with the Denver Broncos this past season and, according to PFF, is among the league's best at his position in pressures (39) and overall grade (62.5).

Denver Broncos defensive end John Franklin-Myers (98) hits Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Carson Wentz (11) | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Put plainly, the Titans reeling Myers in on the basis of a three-year, $63 million agreement is a roaring success for a franchise that hasn't landed an effective big fish in a long while. Further, the length at which Myers is set to stick around in Nashville should serve as the ideal mediator between keeping a veteran around too long and fully capitalizing on his prime.

Capitalizing on Myers' Prime

Coming off of two straight career-high-sack seasons, Myers (29) is firmly in the latter era of his career. Of all their freshly-inked deals, the one with Myers looks hard to beat from all sides; as the DE joins Jeffery Simmons in a Titans defense that suddenly appears more than capable of disruption, the obvious importance of a front office that isn't afraid to ebb, flow, and spend (sometimes big), is exasperated.

So long as the Titans keep that attitude, the roster can only continue to inch closer towards the return to competition that fans have waited years for.

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