Titans Sign Former Cowboys DE, Falcons OT

The Tennessee Titans are anticipated to make a flurry of moves - additions, subtractions and answered questions in between - this offseason. And, under head coach Robert Saleh, the team is wasted no time in making that hopeful dream an active reality.

In a piece of sudden news broken by Jim Wyatt, the Titans made their first roster moves off the 2026 offseason in the form of a dual-signing, Defensive end Earnest Brown and tackle Ryan Hayes both officially agreed to terms. The Robert Saleh era is now fully off to the races.

Are these the breakneck additions Titans fans have been clamoring for? Not exactly, although a rebuild starts from the ground up, and Tennessee can't really jump out of the gate with a "cherry on top" type of addition without first filling the cup beneath it.

October 15, 2023; Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Rams defensive end Earnest Brown IV (90) after the game against the Arizona Cardinals at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-Imagn Images | Kyle Terada-Imagn Images

Adding Defensive Depth For Saleh

The former, Brown, first entered the league as a fifth-round pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. Having spent time with the Los Angeles Rams, San Francisco 49ers, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and, most recently, the Dallas Cowboys, the DE has become a bit of a journeyman throughout his career.

Having played in 15 games with just three starts (with time spent on practice squads as well), the path to visible relevancy for Brown in Nashville may remain unpaved for a while longer. Still, defensive depth under Saleh - one of the league's most prolific score-stopping minds - is nothing at all to frown at.

Taking a Chance On Offense

Hayes, on the other hand, reads like a similar, low-stakes chance. After being drafted by the Miami Dolphins in the seventh round of the 2023 draft, the tackle has since taken shifts with the Indianapolis Colts and Atlanta Falcons, too.

With just one actual game under his belt in 2024, this addition also appears to be a measure of depth for Carmen Bricillo's offensive line. Given the expectation that his unit is expected to revamp this offseason, Hayes' signing makes enough sense.

Solid, Safe Selections

Brown and Hayes, again, aren't the type of players that are expected to rock the boat in any significant way for Tennessee; at least, they aren't expected to be.

Even so, ample value remains still in a just-hired coach jumping out to a fast start in free agency and slowly working to overturn the depth on his roster. Besides, if any franchise and fanbase should be open to change for the simple sake of it, it's those in the Titans bubble.

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