Titans Release CB L'Jarius Sneed

In the midst of an offseason filled with breaking additions by way of spent money, the Tennessee Titans are set to do the opposite with a long-expected release.

In not at all surprising news, the Titans are parting ways with cornerback L'Jarius Sneed (per Ari Meirov), who was previously operating on a four-year, $76.4 million contract. It'll free up a little extra cap space for Titans, to say the least.

Not only was the release foreshadowed prior to the offseason due to Sneed's injuries and off-field legal troubles, both, but the Titans bringing on a trio of corners in free agency looked like the final straw before the front office made the official call.

Making the Official Call

Sneed, who failed to force a turnover this past season and managed just 18 tackles. Not a completely empty year, per se, but a near-invisible one that far from makes sense of the ball hawk's bloated contract.

New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye (10) runs around former Tennessee Titans cornerback L'Jarius Sneed (38) | Denny Simmons / The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Now, in addition to an extra bit of financial freedom ($11.4 million against the cap), the Titans' can continue to rebuild their secondary without any sort of inefficient, troublesome veteran weight. The aforementioned trio - Cordale Flott and Alontae Taylor being the two names most likely to lead the way - all three come in on cheaper contracts than Sneed, too, even if Tennessee made the move to acquire him a portion through it already.

It's addition by subtraction from every angle for a Titans team, and especially defense, working to form a new identity.

A Different Defensive Identity

Since Robert Saleh was hired to take the wheel, Tennessee's defense (even in its previously dire state) was set to take a major leap, at least to some extent.

Not only does all of the HC's experience lie on that side of the ball, but in making the decision to call the defense himself, Saleh is working to translate that expertise in his new position for the first time ever. He wasn't able to do that in his previous attempt with the New York Jets, and has even cited that discrepancy as a frustration.

Now, in a positive change of pace, the defensive unit is first and foremost under his control. The addition of numerous, big-name backs was the first hint, and the subtraction of Sneed the decisive second.

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