Should the Titans sign these Key Starters to Contract Extensions?
The Tennessee Titans have gone through a ton of change recently, but two players who have been consistent starters for the team over the last few years are defensive backs Amani Hooker and Roger McCreary.
Hooker was drafted in the fourth round of the 2019 NFL Draft by the Titans and has been a full-time starter at safety for the defense since 2021. He posted a career year in 2024, tallying a career-high five interceptions and nine passes defended with 71 tackles.
McCreary was drafted in the second round of the 2022 NFL Draft by Tennessee and has developed into one of the better slot corners in football. The Auburn product has allowed just two touchdowns in the last two seasons and has also been a solid run defender at the nickel corner position.
Hooker and McCreary are key pieces to Dennard Wilson’s defense, but neither are under contract past this year. Hooker is entering the final year of a three-year, $30 million extension he signed with the Titans in 2022, while McCreary is entering the final year of his rookie deal.
Written by Dharya Sharma
Founder/Owner of SharmSports. NFL contributor at The Sporting News
Should the Titans sign Hooker and McCreary to extensions before the season??
Though Hooker is coming off a fantastic 2024 campaign and is one of the better players on the team, general manager Mike Borgonzi should hold off on signing him to an extension before the season. The Iowa product has never played a full 17-game slate, and the Titans may have drafted his replacement in Round 3 of April’s draft in Kevin Winston Jr.
Spotrac projects Hooker’s next contract will be worth $51 million over three seasons, which is an average annual value of $17.1 million. Tennessee has a ton of cap space in 2026 ($87.1 million per OTC), meaning they can afford to wait and pay Hooker after the 2025 season if they want to bring him back.
On the other hand, Borgonzi should look to get something done with McCreary before September. The 25-year-old is only getting better, and the market for nickel corners is only rising. This offseason, Kyler Gordon and Nate Hobbs both reset the market for slot corners, as Gordon landed an extension with the Chicago Bears worth $40 million over three seasons ($13.33 million AAV), while Hobbs signed a four-year deal with the Green Bay Packers in free agency worth $48 million ($12 million AAV).
Before the market rises again, the Titans need to lock up McCreary on a new deal. An extension similar to what Gordon got in Chicago is reasonable.
