The Tennessee Titans thought offseason additions were going to make a massive impact at cornerback last season. That wasn't the case, and it contributed to GM Ran Carthon losing his job. Carthon swung for the fences by adding L'Jarius Sneed and Chido Awuzie, and both acquisitions couldn't have gone any worse in 2024.
Sneed was among the bigger offseason moves, arriving from the Kansas City Chiefs in a trade that saw the Titans part with their original 2025 third-round selection. Sneed's debut season in Tennessee was completely derailed by a mystery quad injury that eventually ended his campaign altogether. He appeared in just five contests, and even that small sample size was incredibly inconsistent on tape.
Sneed suffered the confusing injury in October and eventually underwent season-ending surgery in November. Head coach Brian Callahan confirmed in late May that Sneed was still rehabbing from the quad injury. With Phase Three of the offseason officially underway, he's still dealing with a mysterious injury from seven months ago, and continues to manage a chronic knee issue the Titans were aware of when they acquired him.
The outlook of Tennessee's cornerback room (and 2025 defense) largely depends on Sneed's form and health.
L'Jarius Sneed holds key to Titans CB room, defense in 2025
The Titans acquired Sneed and Awuzie to be their boundary starters last season. Awuzie also endured a lengthy stint on the sidelines due to recurring injury. New GM Mike Borgonzi released him this offseason, making it a quick priority to move on from a Carthon mistake.
It was fifth-round rookie Jarvis Brownlee Jr. and waiver wire add Darrell Baker Jr. who played the majority of reps at cornerback for the Titans last season. Brownlee Jr. now replaces Awuzie in the projected lineup. If Sneed struggles to regain health and form, it'll be Baker Jr. who flanks the sophomore corner again this year.
Roger McCreary is the Titans' nickel corner. He's entering a contract year and could command a larger payday than Borgonzi is comfortable with next offseason. The Titans selected Marcus Harris in the sixth round of the 2025 NFL Draft, and see him as a versatile inside-outside player. He's the wild-card in the room, and the Titans also added a plethora of cornerbacks via undrafted free agency.
Cornerback was considered the strength of the Titans' roster on paper last offseason, but that projection didn't come to fruition. If the Titans' trio at cornerback this season is once again made up of McCreary, Brownlee Jr., and Baker Jr., then they'll be average at best in the secondary for the second consecutive campaign. Sneed's availability will determine their fate.
Brownlee Jr. and Baker Jr. performed admirably last season all things considered, but the Titans didn't pay Sneed $76 million to have a fifth-round rookie and training camp addition replace him. The Titans desperately need Sneed to stay healthy and recapture his form in 2025.
If not, Sneed will go down as one of the worst Titans' acquisitions of all time, and Borgonzi will be looking for an exit route from another Carthon blunder next offseason.
