The Tennessee Titans are reportedly parting ways with left guard Rodger Saffold in a move that will open up some much-needed cap space.
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Titans will release Saffold, who was set to play the final year of his four-year, $44 million deal. Cutting Saffold will save the Titans $10.4 million.
Saffold was one of the players we predicted would get cut, so this isn’t much of a surprise.
After having a rough start to his Titans tenure in 2019, Saffold became a stalwart at left guard and a leader for Tennessee in the years that followed.
However, the 2021 campaign was a rough one for the veteran, as he struggled in pass protection and dealt with injury that saw him coming in and out of games quite frequently.
Turning 34 in July, Saffold still has plenty left in the tank and should draw a ton of interest on the open market. Granted, his pass pro can be suspect, but he’s still a very good run-blocker.
As far as who the Titans could use to replace him, 2020 UDFA Aaron Brewer figures to be the top in-house solution after performing well in relief duty the past two seasons. Free agency and the 2022 NFL draft are two other avenues Tennessee could use to fill the void.
Saffold is the second player the Titans were reported to be cutting on Thursday, joining swing tackle Kendall Lamm. The two moves combined will save Tennessee about $13.5 million.
