The Tennessee Titans made the borderline surprising decision to release cornerback Chido Awuzie from his contract earlier this week. Awuzie was signed by previous general manager Ran Carthon to a three-year, $36 million deal just last offseason. His departure catapults sophomore cornerback Jarvis Brownlee Jr. into a full-time boundary role opposite L’Jarius Sneed.
The Titans did not designate Awuzie as a post-June release, per Paul Kuharsky. They’ve elected to absorb the full $12.5 million in 2025 dead cap. After trading linebacker Kenneth Murray, new GM Mike Borgonzi is quickly ridding the Titans of last offseason’s mistakes.
A rookie fifth-round pick last year, Brownlee Jr. ended up leading all Titans defenders in snaps at 913. That wasn’t the expectation, but the Louisville standout was catapulted into the lineup for 14 games as a starter following serious injuries to Sneed and Awuzie. Brownlee Jr. played nearly 87% of Dennard Wilson’s defensive snaps.
Wilson and Brian Callahan didn’t necessarily have a choice but to play Brownlee Jr. last season. Their two massive offseason acquisitions were routinely sidelined. Now, perhaps with assists from Borgonzi and Chad Brinker, the Titans are making the conscious decision to elevate Brownlee Jr. into a full-time starting role.
Pro Football Focus credited Brownlee Jr. with allowing 55 receptions on 81 targets last season for a conversion-to-completion rate of 67.9 percent. Brownlee Jr. allowed 663 yards and four touchdowns. He was very competitive at the catch point, recording six pass breakups and one interception. The numbers were stellar considering he played a far larger role than expected. He was whistled for nine penalties, which represents an area of improvement for 2025.
Brownlee Jr. added 75 total tackles and a fumble recovery to his defensive totals. He finished third on the team in that category, trailing just Murray (95) and Jeffery Simmons (76). The Titans allowed a second-lowest 177.3 passing yards per contest.
Brownlee Jr. will now be tasked with showcasing sophomore improvement in Wilson’s defense in 2025. The Titans weren’t expecting to rely on him last campaign, but his breakout was useful. Now, the Titans are fully expecting Brownlee Jr. to be a high-end starter.
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