The Tennessee Vols are reportedly losing starting offensive lineman Lance Heard to the NCAA transfer portal.

Heard, who started his career at LSU, started every game at left tackle for the Volunteers in 2025.

The feeling was that Heard was going to either declare for the 2026 NFL Draft or return to Tennessee in 2026 — which is why it was a surprise when news broke that he’s planning to transfer.

One reason why Heard is transferring is possibly because rising sophomore David Sanders Jr, who started at right tackle for the Vols in 2025, is expected to move to left tackle next fall. Heard likely wanted to stay at left tackle instead of moving to right tackle.

Another reason why Heard is on the move is likely because of money.

Vols insider says Lance Heard’s agent asked for a “gargantuan amount of money”

VolQuest’s Austin Price joined WNML’s Josh and Swain on Friday and shared some insight on Heard’s decision to transfer.

“Lance Heard had a really good solid year,” said Price. “His agent asked for a gargantuan amount of money, and Tennessee was not willing to do that. They liked the growth that David Sanders had over the last month and a half of the season, and how he played in the bowl game. And they liked what Jesse Perry brought them at right tackle early in the year. And so Tennessee felt good enough to where they were like, ‘Okay, Lance, we like you at this [price], but we don’t like you at this amount of money.’ And so they decided to part ways. That’s part of the new business model that is college athletics.”

It’s unclear how the Vols plan to replace Heard, but Price suggested that Jesse Perry, who filled in at right tackle early in the season when Sanders missed time, could hold down the right tackle spot in 2026.

“Offensive line becomes a little bit more of a priority (in the portal) then it was,” said Price “What do they look for there? Do they look for a Jesse Perry type of swing guy who can play guard or play tackle? I think Jesse Perry will be your right tackle next year. I think David Sanders will be your left tackle.”

The silver lining for the Vols in losing Heard is that Tennessee should have more cash to spend on other positions in the transfer portal.