NASHVILLE — The Tennessee Titans took a step toward fixing the interior of their defensive front by signing linebacker Cody Barton to a three-year contract, with that deal among a handful of signings announced Thursday by the team.
The Titans traded linebacker Kenneth Murray to the Dallas Cowboys for a sixth-round pick despite him starting 14 games with 95 tackles and a career-high 3 1/2 sacks last season.
Barton, 28, was a third-round pick of the Seattle Seahawks in the 2019 NFL draft and played with them through 2022. He spent the following season with the Washington Commanders and played for the Denver Broncos last year.
Barton now gets to work behind Pro Bowl defensive lineman Jeffery Simmons, T’Vondre Sweat and also Dre’Mont Jones, who is newly signed to a one-year deal with the team that holds the No. 1 overall pick in next month’s draft and has a new general manager in Mike Borgonzi.
Tennessee, coming off a 3-14 record in Brian Callahan’s first season as head coach, started free agency this week by bolstering a struggling offensive line, agreeing with left tackle Dan Moore on a four-year contract and adding right guard Kevin Zeitler on a one-year deal. JC Latham, who started all 17 games at left tackle as a rookie this past season after being drafted No. 7 overall, is expected to move to the right side.
The Titans, who gave up 52 sacks in 2024 — more than all but four other teams in the regular season — also added offensive lineman Blake Hance for much-needed depth.
They also changed punters, bringing in 17-year veteran and four-time Pro Bowl selection Johnny Hekker to replace Ryan Stonehouse, a former undrafted free agent who turned in the top two single-season gross punting averages in NFL history. Stonehouse also was first with a 52.2-yard average from 2022 to 2024.
It’s a move that reunites Hekker with the Titans’ new special teams coordinator, John Fassel.
The Titans also signed safety Xavier Woods to a two-year deal, bolstered their receiver corps by signing Van Jefferson, released offensive guard Saahdiq Charles, and brought back veteran defensive lineman Sebastian Joseph-Day after he started 12 of 17 games last season.