Former first-round pick Kenneth Murray left the Los Angeles Chargers for the Tennessee Titans last offseason, but the team could cut him after one year. A first-round pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, Murray struggled early in his career before breaking out in the final year of his rookie contract. One of the few bright spots on the 2023 Chargers, the Oklahoma product turned his three-sack, 107-tackle season into a two-year, $15.5 million deal with the Titans.
Unfortunately for Tennessee, Murray regressed to his previous form in 2024. Starting and appearing in 14 games, the linebacker’s 45.9 PFF grade ranks 81st out of 85 eligible players. The Titans can get out of his contract easily, as he carries a $10 million cap hit in 2025 but no guaranteed salary. By releasing him, the team could save $7.5 million in much-needed cap space, which will almost certainly happen. While his time with the Titans may be over, he could rejoin the Chargers or join a new team like the Kansas City Chiefs or Carolina Panthers.
Titans Could Cut Kenneth Murray, Veteran Should Have Multiple Suitors
Los Angeles Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh has done a remarkable job of digging the team out of salary cap hell while remaining competitive. After shedding multiple unfavorable contracts last offseason, the Chargers couldn’t afford to re-sign Murray and rolled with the existing duo of third-round pick Daiyan Henley and Denzel Perryman, with Troy Dye joining the picture late in the season.
Henley should be a staple on this defense for years to come, but Perrymand and Dye will be free agents at the end of the season. Perryman hasn’t played particularly well and Harbaugh probably won’t try too hard to re-sign him, while Dye’s out-of-nowhere breakout could be a fluke. While he’s played well over the past month or so, he never was anything more than a depth option through the first four years of his career.
Kenneth Murray never played under Jim Harbaugh, but that doesn’t mean the team won’t try and bring him back after the Titans cut him. There are enough holdovers from the previous administration who can vouch for Murray’s abilities, and Harbaugh excels at getting the best out of his players. While the Chargers will probably be interested in a reunion, two teams could stand in their way.
Other Suitors
The Kansas City Chiefs will have some difficult decisions to make over the next few months. Currently armed with a respectable $20.9 million in 2025 cap space, the team won’t be able to re-sign all of their impending free agents. Guard Trey Smith could receive a record-setting deal, linebacker Nick Bolton should receive a major raise, and guys like DeAndre Hopkins and Marquise Brown should benefit from an exploding wide receiver market.
The easiest player to replace will probably be Bolton. While he is a reliable starter, linebackers aren’t terribly important in Kansas City’s defense, as opposing teams have to abandon the run to keep up with the Chiefs passing attack. Kenneth Murray is not as good as Bolton, but the cut candidate could be a cost-effective replacement for a team that must be smart with their spending money.
The Carolina Panthers, meanwhile, must rebuild their defense from the ground up. Bryce Young has played like a franchise quarterback over the back half of the season, and the offensive line and receiving weapons will give him a fair shot to succeed in 2025. Now, it’s time for the Panthers to rebuild their defense and compete in a weak NFC South. Kenneth Murray won’t singlehandedly fix this historically bad unit, but he should be good enough to start on this depleted roster.
Main Photo: Jayne Kamin-Oncea – USA Today Sports
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