NASHVILLE — The Tennessee Titans are done paying for potential that sits on the training table. In a league-wide first for the 2026 offseason, General Manager Mike Borgonzi has tied the vast majority of Tennessee Titans free agent contracts to a “pay-as-you-play” model. Out of 15 known veteran deals signed this month, 14 include specific bonuses triggered only if the player is active on game day.
The Borgonzi Blueprint: No More Free Passes
This isn’t just a minor tweak to the salary cap; it is a fundamental shift in how the Titans do business. Borgonzi, who learned the ropes in Kansas City before taking the reins in Nashville, is importing a strict availability requirement. The numbers are staggering. Defensive tackle John Franklin-Myers earns $42,000 for every game he suits up. For a depth piece like Tony Adams, the stakes are even higher, with $25,000 per-game bonuses totaling nearly half a million dollars over the season.
The logic is simple: if you aren’t on the field helping rookie sensation Cam Ward or anchoring Robert Saleh’s new-look defense, you aren’t hitting your max earnings. This strategy protects the Titans from the “dead money” traps that sank previous regimes. It also puts the onus on the training staff and the players to stay healthy in a brutal AFC South.
- John Franklin-Myers: $42,000 per game active bonus.
- Tony Adams: $25,000 per game active bonus ($425,000 total potential).
- Cordell Volson: 23% of total compensation tied to availability.
- Cor’Dale Flott: 3% of potential earnings tied to game-day status.
“Typically, you’re not talking about a lot of money attached to those bonuses, but it’s something that we’ve seen, and that’s something that we’ve used. It buys us a little peace of mind.”
— Mike Borgonzi, Tennessee Titans General Manager
Playoff Implications / What’s Next
By shifting the financial risk to the players, the Titans have cleared enough room to remain aggressive. While other teams are hitting a cap wall, Tennessee is still hunting for a starting center and an edge rusher to pair with Jermaine Johnson. The message to the locker room is clear: the 2026 season belongs to those who show up. If this roster stays healthy, the Titans have the financial flexibility to make a mid-season trade that could finally end their five-year playoff drought. Expect other GMs to watch Nashville closely; if the Titans win 10 games while saving millions in “unearned” bonuses, this model will become the new NFL standard by 2027.
