The Tennessee Titans are rebuilding - Three Titans are in constant danger of losing their roster spots
The Tennessee Titans are rebuilding. General manager Mike Borgonzi has routinely churned both the active roster and practice squad on almost a daily basis this season. You're constantly searching for solutions when you're 1-10 and slated to earn the No. 1 overall selection in back-to-back NFL Drafts.
The Titans have shown no hesitancy to trade or release veteran players this season. Roger McCreary, Jarvis Brownlee, and Dre'Mont Jones were all sacrificed in exchange for additional or improved draft capital. Veterans Tyler Lockett and Quandre Diggs were released to make room for younger players in the lineup.
A few Titans are fortunate to have avoided the chopping block thus far. That doesn't necessarily mean Borgonzi isn't weighing his options. We've identified three Titans who are in constant danger of losing their roster spot.
3 Titans players who are lucky they are still on the roster through Thanksgiving
Mason Kinsey, WR
Mason Kinsey first joined the Titans as an undrafted free agent in 2020. Somehow, his work ethic has convinced multiple GMs and coaching staffs that he deserves to stick around. Most recently, Titans fans were disappointed when he failed to connect with Cam Ward on two potentially explosive passing plays in Week 11.
The Titans added James Proche II to the roster, and made Xavier Restrepo a standard gameday elevation versus the Seattle Seahawks in Week 12. Both Proche and Restrepo grossly outperformed Kinsey on offense. Kinsey could be cut to make room, though his special teams prowess could rescue him.
Xavier Woods, S
The Titans aren't afraid to cut veterans, as proven by their decisions to sever ties with Diggs and Lockett. One veteran who is potentially lucky to avoid joining them is safety Xavier Woods. Woods signed a two-year contract this past offseason, so what's probably saving him is that cutting him in-season wouldn't be a financially fruitful decision.
The Titans have added a ton of safeties to the roster in recent weeks though. Jerrick Reed II joined off waivers and Mike Brown was activated off IR. Meanwhile, rookie safety Kevin Winston Jr. has broken out in recent weeks.
C.J. Ravenell, DL
The Titans claimed a league-high four players off waivers in August. None of them have proved they truly belong. Though cornerback Jalyn Armour-Davis has been the most frustrating, the Titans haven't seen production from defensive lineman C.J. Ravenell either.
Ravenell has earned just 66 defensive snaps this season. That's despite the Titans having endured multi-week injuries to both Jeffery Simmons and T'Vondre Sweat. If the Titans need to create a roster spot anytime soon, Ravenell could find himself on the outs.
Steelers Star on Borrowed Time: Final Stretch in Pittsburgh Looms Large
After losing four of their last six games, the Pittsburgh Steelers are underdogs just to make the playoffs at this point. Mike Tomlin is looking to snap his ugly streak of eight straight years without a playoff win, and if that doesn't happen, we could see some legitimate roster turnover during the 2026 offseason.
One player who could be entering his final stretch of games with the Steelers is Alex Highsmith. While the third-round pick in 2020 has grossly outplayed his original draft selection, there are reasons to believe he might not make it to the start of the 2026 season on Pittsburgh's roster.
After handing T.J. Watt a lucrative three-year, $123 million contract extension—which, at the time, made him the highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL history—the Steelers could be entering a bit of a financial bind. Watt's $41 million per season in average earnings per year, combined with Highsmith's $17 million per year APY, makes this an expensive pairing.
But it gets worse, and the Steelers might not be able to justify keeping Highsmith around after the 2025 season.
The Pittsburgh Steelers could move on from Alex Highsmith with Nick Herbig in need of a massive contract extension
Highsmith's cap number jumps up to over $20 million in each of the final two years of his contract in 2026 and 2027, per Over The Cap. This means that Highsmith and Watt would combine for an egregious cap number north of $62 million over the next two years. For the right player, the Steelers could stomach this hit. But Highsmith might not be that guy.
While the former college walk-on at Charlotte has been tremendous in his role with the Steelers, he's been banged up frequently over the past two seasons. In 2024, Highsmith appeared in just 11 games, and he's missed multiple games this season.
However, the biggest reason for his potential departure in the offseason has less to do with Highsmith and more to do with Nick Herbig.
Herbig is an ascending edge rusher who just turned 24 years old. The former Wisconsin star can generate quick pressure better than any pass rusher on the team, and he's only scratching the surface of his potential.
Letting Herbig walk away after his rookie contract would be a colossal mistake by the front office. Considering Omar Khan and Andy Weidl hand-selected Herbig in the 2023 NFL Draft, they should be more apt to keep him around than Highsmith, a selection from former GM Kevin Colbert in 2020.
Herbig is a younger, fresher, and more talented pass rusher than Highsmith. However, he also needs a new contract, and keeping all three edge rushers on steep deals isn't reasonable.
To get Herbig signed to a new deal, the Steelers could look to trade Highsmith to a pass-rush-needy team. The veteran edge rusher turns 29 years old before the start of the 2026 season, but based on his quality resume, the Steelers might be able to fetch a late Day 2 pick for his services.
The Pittsburgh Steelers could find a way to make things work with all three of Highsmith, Watt, and Herbig for one more season. However, trading Highsmith during the 2026 offseason might make the most sense for a team on track to have 12 draft picks and looking for a fresh start.
