Titans Should Embrace Robert Saleh’s Past in Free Agency

Robert Saleh's subpar tenure with the New York Jets has been a mostly out of sight, out of mind matter since his split with the team in 2024. Having rejoined the San Francisco 49ers to put together yet another solid defense - one that helped land him the leading job with the Tennessee Titans, no doubt - everyone involved seems ready to bury what went wrong up north.

Yet, even if the Titans choose to forget Saleh's previous shortcomings, they may be able to tap into resources from that time period that still remain. With free agency rapidly ramping up, Tennessee, specifically Saleh have numerous ties to potential heavy-hitters on the market.

Anything in free agency is, of course, a matter of assets and needs. But for a Titans team essentially in the middle of a full reset, being ahead on a solid prospect at just about any position may make their pursuit worth it alone.

Pursuing Former Friends of Saleh

Of the possibilities, two names stand out on either side of the ball, respectively. Running back Breece Hall, who is still a Jet, and defensive end John Franklin-Myers who, while currently a Denver Bronco, has coaching ties to Tennessee that go beyond even Saleh.

Hall, who just said of his potentiality as a free agent, "whatever happens, happens," is easily the more explosive, ground-shaking addition of the duo.

New York Jets running back Breece Hall (20) | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

With four seasons under his belt (and not one with less than four touchdowns) and the most recent of which boasting a 1,065 yard tally, Hall has all the makings of a go-to scoring back if put in a more competent system.

If Tennessee decides to move on from Tony Pollard and Hall hits the field as expected, Tennessee should happily lend a portion of their league-leading cap space to reunite Hall and Saleh.

A Defensive Option

Oppositely, if not also, the aforementioned Myers has already hinted towards a long-term trip to Nashville under new defensive line assistant Tanzel Smart's (a former teammate of Myers) post announcing his own joining with the Titans.

On top of his own cues, Myers' 7.5 sacks this past campaign did the talking for him; set to be a free agent, the DL would be a menacing cohort to pair with the already dominant Jeffery Simmons and, to boot, already has experience in Saleh's defense.

In one or both directions, Tennessee has viable options to which tethers already exist. If either door opens, Tennessee and Saleh should run through before any other team makes a case.

Make sure you bookmark Tennessee Titans on SI for the latest news, exclusive interviews, film breakdowns and so much more!