Titans sign Nick Vannett
Some depth for the Titans tight end room
Jim Wyatt is reporting that the Tennessee Titans have signed tight end Nick Vannett. The veteran tight end was a third-round pick by the Seattle Seahawks back in 2016. He has bounced around the league during his 8-year career. His stops have included time with the Pittsburgh Steelers, Denver Broncos, New Orleans Saints, New York Giants, Houston Texans, and Los Angeles Chargers.
Vannett joins a tight end room that includes Chig Okonkwo, Josh Whyle, and Thomas Odukoya. It might be the position that has received the least amount of attention this offseason.
The 31-year-old tight end has just 96 catches and six touchdowns in his time in the NFL. If he makes the team, he will probably spend most of his time as a blocker and/or playing special teams.
The Titans waived undrafted free agent Rod Gattison, who just signed with the team on Friday, to make room for Vannett on the roster.
The Dallas Cowboys would be an ideal landing spot for this veteran receiver.
In a trade scenario proposed by Inside the Star’s Mario Herrera Jr., the Cowboys would acquire five-time Pro Bowl wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins from the Tennessee Titans in exchange for a fifth-round pick. Herrera argues that although Hopkins is coming off a rebound season — he posted 75 catches for 1,057 yards and seven touchdowns with lackluster quarterback play — the Titans could look to get younger and stockpile draft capital.
“Tennessee looks to get younger at the position to grow with second-year QB Will Levis, and a 32-year-old Hopkins could be expendable,” writes Herrera Jr. “The Titans have just four total 2025 draft picks and only one in the top three rounds. Dallas should offer a 5th-round pick in exchange for Nuk.”
Why the Cowboys Would Acquire DeAndre Hopkins
While the Cowboys would certainly welcome the addition of a third established receiver following the release of Michael Gallup Jr. this offseason, Herrera makes sure to stress that the Titans would have to take on some of his 2024 salary due to the Cowboys’ recent cap-restrained approach.
“Execution of this trade would require the Titans to take on some of his 2024 salary,” writes Herrera. “Stephen Jones will scoff at his current cap hit of $18 million.”
Hopkins — who previously signed an $81 million contract extension in 2017 with the Houston Texans — is on the verge of entering the final year of a two-year, $26 million deal he signed with the Titans in 2023.
The idea of the Cowboys adding a third veteran receiver is a realistic idea. Dallas will likely enter training camp with CeeDee Lamb and Brandin Cooks as the top two receivers with young and unproven receivers such as Jalen Tolbert, KaVontae Turpkin and rookie Ryan Flournoy competing for the slot position.
Tolbert has just 29 catches for 268 receiving yards and two touchdowns through the first two seasons of his career while Turpin has largely served as a return specialist, notching just 13 catches for 136 receiving yards and three touchdowns during his career.
