In continuing his aggressive offseason overhaul, Titans GM Mike Borgonzi made another statement move by releasing a pair of veteran players: a wide receiver and a linebacker. While the article you referenced doesn’t name them, this kind of roster trimming is typical ahead of rookie minicamp and post-draft depth reshuffling, especially under a new regime.
Here’s why these moves matter:
A Clear Break from the Past
Jon Robinson and Ran Carthon brought in several veterans who didn’t pan out—whether due to injury, scheme misfit, or declining performance.
Borgonzi, coming from the Chiefs’ front office, values speed, versatility, and schematic flexibility—traits often lacking in the players being cut.
Making Room for Rookies
With 16 UDFA signings and a fresh draft class, cutting veterans opens up valuable practice reps for the newcomers—especially at WR and LB, where the Titans added:
WR Xavier Restrepo (Miami): A gritty slot receiver who could make a quick impact.
LB David Gbenda (Texas) and OLB Desmond Evans (UNC): Athletic linebackers with special teams potential.
Salary Cap & Culture Reset
Even modest veteran contracts can be trimmed to boost cap space flexibility.
More importantly, Borgonzi is establishing “his locker room”—no lingering ties to past personnel decisions or underperformers.
What’s Next?
The Titans’ WR depth now hinges heavily on younger players developing behind DeAndre Hopkins and Treylon Burks.
At linebacker, they may look to add a veteran in the coming months—particularly someone with special teams prowess or familiarity with DC Dennard Wilson’s system.
Exactly — cutting Kyron Johnson and Tay Martin is more about clearing out fringe depth than losing meaningful contributors.
Kyron Johnson was a special teams player with some upside as a situational pass-rusher, but never cracked Tennessee’s active roster. Injuries and a logjam at linebacker made him expendable.
Tay Martin, while a tall, intriguing outside receiver, never showed enough to force his way into the rotation. With the addition of rookies like Xavier Restrepo and the expected step forward from younger WRs, his path to playing time was already narrow.
These are the types of moves that let the Titans invest more time and reps into players who align with GM Mike Borgonzi and HC Brian Callahan’s long-term vision — especially as they build around Cam Ward and reshape the culture.
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