Titans Free Agent Signing Could Pay Major Dividends

When taking a step back to look at the Tennessee Titans' biggest priorities of this NFL offseason, the most prominent focus has to center on the offensive line.

The Titans ensured to make a statement when addressing their offensive line to kick off this year's free agency, paying a major price for former Pittsburgh Steelers tackle Dan Moore Jr. to come in on a multi-year deal worth over $80 million, effectively adding a certified left tackle for the season ahead.

Yet, while that may be the move catching the most attention from the Titans' first wave of spending, another one of their additions upfront could end up as the better, more impactful decision.

In the mind of Pro Football Focus analyst Ben Cooper, he calls the Titans' addition of Detroit Lions guard Kevin Zeitler to a one-year, $9 million deal the better move, noting it as Tennessee's highest upside signing of the offseason.

"The Titans handed a ton of money to tackle Dan Moore Jr., but it’s his new interior teammate, Zeitler, who has more upside," Cooper wrote. "The underrated Zeitler has earned sub-70.0 PFF overall and pass-blocking grades only once in his 13-year career, and he has never played fewer than 799 snaps. Tennessee is set to get reliability and high-level play from the 35-year-old for just $9 million in 2025."

It could be odd to think Zeitler, the 35-year-old guard, could have the chance for more upside than the Titans' high-priced signing of a 26-year-old Moore, but after their sample size from last season, that may be the case. The former Lions guard excelled as a run-blocker with Pro Bowl-level production in his career, providing optimism for what he can provide in Tennessee.

Moore does have a high price tag, thanks to his status as a hot commodity at left tackle. But, on a simple production basis, Zeitler might be the one to look to for the biggest impact as another valuable fill-in on the Titans' young offensive front.

When factoring in his extended tenure in the league, it's hard to imagine the fit being a long-term one, and with his status as a one-year rental, Zeitler's time in Tennessee could very well end after the 2025 season if he decides to hang up the cleats.

For now, though, Zeitler will be a significant staple on an offensive line that looked desperate for help last season, also being a veteran presence for budding first-round talents like Peter Skoronski and J.C. Latham for the year ahead.

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