Five biggest overpays of 2026 NFL free agency: Titans' spree comes with concern

Tennessee Titans defensive lineman John Franklin-Myers (Three years, $63M)

The Titans only trailed the Las Vegas Raiders in spending during the start of the league's legal tampering window, handing out a staggering $270M to free agents. Franklin-Myers was the recipient of the biggest slice of the pie, earning $21M per year while taking advantage of a weak defensive tackle market.

But he'll turn 30 this season and has played a diminishing number of snaps each season since setting a career-high at 716 in 2021, including playing less than half of his available snaps the past two seasons with the Denver Broncos. That didn't stop Franklin-Myers from producing the two highest sack totals of his career, but considering other defensive tackles in his annual salary range, Kenny Clark ($21.3M) and Dexter Lawrence ($21.875M), play much more substantial roles, he hasn't proved to be worth quite what the Titans gave him.

Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Kwity Paye (Three years, $48M)

Tyler Linderbaum's record-shattering deal for a center was eye-opening, but his All-Pro potential and importance in protecting likely No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza justifies his $27M per year price tag.

But not everything the Raiders have done has made sense. Giving $16M per year and $31.28M guaranteed to Paye, coming off arguably his worst season, doesn't appear to be money well spent. The 2021 first-rounder had four sacks in 2025, tied for a career-low, while posting his slowest get-off time (0.92s) since his rookie year, per NFL Pro data. Perhaps the Raiders should thanks the Baltimore Ravens for rescinding that Maxx Crosby deal.

Tennessee Titans cornerback Alontae Taylor (Three years, $58.3M)

Taylor developed into a versatile player for the New Orleans Saints, but little about his play over the past four years suggested he was set for such a significant payday. NFL Pro data shows Taylor allowed 13 touchdowns in coverage over the past two seasons, primarily playing as a slot corner.

His contract comes in just shy of Ravens No. 1 corner Marlon Humphrey's AAV ($19.5M), while Taylor snatched more guaranteed money $42M) than 2024 Associated Press Defensive Player of the Year Patrick Surtain II ($40.7M) received on his September 2024 extension.

New England Patriots guard Alijah Vera-Tucker (Three years, $42M)

Vera-Tucker's deal, which includes $21M guaranteed, is a significant gamble on a player who missed the entire 2025 season and the majority of two others due to injury since entering the league as the No. 14 overall pick of the 2021 NFL Draft.

After floating between positions early with the New York Jets, Vera-Tucker showed more consistency at right guard in 2024, although he still had some struggles as a run-blocker, posting a career-high 3.2 percent blown-block rate (h/t SIS).

Either the Patriots know something we don't, or they took an unnecessarily big swing when better options existed at the start of the negotiating window.