The Tennessee Titans have made some headlines with some of their signings early in the NFL free agency period by adding some good players to start rebuilding the roster.
One of the biggest areas of focus has been the offensive line, where they have made two of their most notable moves by signing linemen Dan Moore and Kevin Zeitler to improve what was likely their weakest unit in 2024.
The moves were not only viewed positively by fans, but many analysts have weighed in with praise. Count Seth Walder of ESPN as one who thinks the Titans made good choices, ranking both inside his best free-agent moves so far.
2. Guard Kevin Zeitler signs with the Titans
The deal: One year, $9 million
A year ago, I wrote that the Lions signing Zeitler at a value price — one year for $6 million then — was one of my favorite moves of their offseason. Well, it’s a new team but the same story, with the NFL overlooking Zeitler again because he’s a temporary solution.
There’s no question that Zeitler is old; he just turned 35. But he also is the best pass protector in this free agent guard class. And offensive linemen age much better than players at most other positions.
Zeitler ranked sixth in pass block win rate (94%) last season after ranking 12th the season before in Baltimore and 11th the season before that. That’s reliability! His run block win rate (72%) was a little above average.
I understand that teams want to find solutions for years to come early in free agency, which is why younger players such as Aaron Banks and Will Fries got big money. But if I had to bet on whether one of Banks, Fries or Zeitler will be an above-average pass protector in 2025, I’m choosing Zeitler without hesitation! To get him signed for less than half the annual value of Banks (and without any guaranteed cost beyond this year) is so much better of a deal.
I like what Tennessee is doing for its offensive line, especially if it drafts Miami quarterback Cam Ward with the No. 1 pick in April. The Titans are prioritizing getting his protection right and doing a very good job of it.
Zeitler should be the veteran anchor for a unit that lacked a true leader in 2024. Not only will his experience be a valuable tool to help bring 2023 first-rounder Peter Skoronski develop, he should pair with JC Latham and revitalize the right side of the offensive line.
4. Offensive tackle Dan Moore Jr. signs with the Titans
The deal: Four years, $82 million ($50 million guaranteed).
We don’t know who will play quarterback for the Titans in 2025, but that person will have better pass protection with Moore now on the team.
Moore is coming off a nice season in which he put up career highs in both pass block win rate (93%, 11th best out of 66 qualifiers) and run block win rate (76%, 23rd best). Offensive line can be a place where players take longer to develop, so I’m inclined to invest in Moore’s improvement.
That becomes easy to do when considering who else was available on the tackle market. Cam Robinson isn’t as good as Moore as a pass protector, Jaylon Moore is unproven and has worse numbers, and Jedrick Wills Jr. has several question marks attached to him. To me, Moore was the one to go with, and $20.5 million per year is not top-tier tackle money at all.
Last season, Titans tackles JC Latham (88%) and Nicholas Petit-Frere (82%) ranked 40th and 64th in pass block win rate among tackles. If Latham — their first-round pick in 2023 — develops, the Titans could have a really nice pair of tackles, which is crucial for setting a quarterback up for success.
The Titans wanted to improve the offensive line and these two moves appear to have solidified it. Now they have to find a quarterback who can succeed behind a more stable front.
