NASHVILLE — The Tennessee Titans have officially released left tackle Andre Dillard after one season with the organization.

Dillard signed a three-year, $29 million contract with the Titans during the 2023 offseason to be the team's starting left tackle. But after a nightmare season in which Dillard allowed 12 sacks and 42 pressures, Tennessee is cutting him loose.

The Titans chose not to designate Dillard as a Post-June 1st release, which is a strategic move that will pay off in 2025.

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Titans strategic move

When a player is cut prematurely, prorated money and salary guarantees accelerate onto the salary cap of a team. This is often referred to as “dead money."

When a player is designated for a Post-June 1st release, the dead money remaining on their contract is able to be deferred onto next season's payroll, lowering the cap hit for the upcoming season.

Had the Titans designated Dillard for a Post-June 1st release, Tennessee would have saved an additional $3.6 million in cap space for the 2024 season that could be used after June 1st. For some teams, getting that cap flexibility is essential. But for the Titans, cutting ties with Dillard early is the smarter move.

Tennessee has plenty of cap space in 2024. An additional $3.6 million of relief is not going to make a huge difference in what they are able to do this offseason. But by taking this blow now, the Titans are wiping their hands clean of Andre Dillard. His contract will not have an impact on things in 2025.

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