NASHVILLE — The Tennessee Titans did a ton in the first week of the new NFL year. Between releasing embattled corner L’Jarius Sneed, restructuring receiver Calvin Ridley’s contract, adding 16 (!) new players to the roster and debuting a uniform rebrand, the team that takes the field in 2026 will be totally different on many fronts.

Here are the biggest takeaways from the last week in Tennessee news:

Purging L’Jarius Sneed was long overdue

What a wasted two years the presence (or lack thereof) of Sneed was on the Titans roster.

After former general manager Ran Carthon traded a 2024 third-round pick to the Kansas City Chiefs for and then signed Sneed to a four-year, $76.4 million deal, things could not have gone worse. Sneed appeared in only 12 of a possible 34 regular season games due to various injuries. During his Injured Reserve stint in 2024, Sneed found himself embroiled in the commission of a felony under circumstances in which serious bodily injury or death may have resulted.

The corner was indicted by a grand jury last November for knowingly failing to immediately report the commission of the offense to a law enforcement officer.

Sneed accounted for zero interceptions and is credited with only one pass break-up in those 12 games, per Pro Football Focus. His presence was malignant in Tennessee on a number of different fronts. Current general manager Mike Borgonzi signed defensive backs Alontae Taylor, Cor’Dale Flott and Josh Williams this week prior to jettisoning Sneed from the Titans roster.

Keeping Calvin Ridley was the correct decision

Ridley hasn’t quite panned out either in Nashville since signing with the team in 2024.

Unlike Sneed, however, restructuring the former first-round pick’s contract to keep him as the team looks to fortify their receiver room around second-year quarterback Cam Ward was the correct call. Ridley was due a $2 million roster bonus on Saturday that made the restructure a necessity for the 31-year old player who appeared in only seven games last season.

Now, Ridley has another opportunity to contribute while Tennessee continues to figure out the best deployment of him with free-agent add Wan’Dale Robinson and 2025 draft picks Chimere Dike and Elic Ayomanor.

Titans defense looks completely different in just a week

Nine of the 16 new players added this week are on defense.

In addition to the three corners and a trade for edge rusher Jermaine Johnson during February’s NFL Scouting Combine, Borgonzi acquired four defensive linemen and another edge in Jacob Martin to line up for the Titans this fall. New head coach Robert Saleh, who will call defensive plays, pulled on his prior experience with the San Francisco 49ers and New York Jets to give Borgonzi and his staff the necessary personnel blueprint.

All-Pro defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons will serve as the centerpiece of a unit that will look totally transformed in 2026.

Featured Image: USA TODAY Sports.