Titans Losing Chig Okonkwo Makes Way For Rookie Breakout

Free agency can't be all about gain, at least not always. Sometimes, a team's cap space forces them to let assets go in order to return the favor to their league-wide opponents at another, more fortunate juncture down the road. The Tennessee Titans have managed to bring a batch of new players in this offseason, but at one point or another, they were bound to lose some, too.

That strikes the hardest, it seems, in the form of tight end Chig Okonkwo leaving to join the Washington Commanders. Coming off of a respectable two-touchdown campaign in Nashville, Okonkwo looked like the team's main option at the position for most of the year.

But upon a closer look, it's apparent that Tennessee had prepared for this move both recently and as far back as last year. In fact, they may be better off for it, when the incoming 2026-27 season fully shakes out.

Better Off in a Loss

That isn't at all to say that Okonkwo's four seasons in Tennessee were any slouch; the TE was an offensive mainstay through two coaching regimes, and will undoubtedly be remembered fondly for his time in an otherwise wavering offense.

Though when Tennessee picked Gunnar Helm in last year's draft, the tides at TE were clearly set to change. Helm, despite coming up shorter in yardage, tied Okonkwo's scoring rate in his first year at in rotation. From here, he's only set to improve, and would've likely been the heir in his unit sooner rather than later regardless.

Tennessee Titans tight end Chig Okonkwo (85) | Steve Roberts-Imagn Images

And it isn't just the rookie that the Titans are prioritizing at the TE spot. When Tennessee opened free agency by signing Daniel Bellinger at the position in their second move, that aforementioned suspicion that plans were changing around Okonkwo became painfully clear.

It seemed imminent then that he'd end up parting ways with his current team and, in the end, it'll likely be better for both parties; Helm, specifically, is set to benefit.

Helm at the Helm

Helm's impending second-year ascension aligns with that of Cam Ward under center. And with the aforementioned Bellinger more than likely to handle reps as a run-blocker, at least more often than not, Helm should continue to be integrated into the offense in a playmaking role.

His rookie run showed more than enough promise, and that came in the broken offense of a waning coaching regime. Under Robert Saleh and Brian Daboll, surrounded with more efficient weapons, all signs point to a big follow-up effort from the Titans' rookie TE.

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