Former Tennessee Cornerback Alontae Taylor Signing With Hometown Titans

Taylor, a native of Manchester, Tennessee, returns to the Volunteer State on a 3-year, $60 million deal.

Published on Mar. 9, 2026

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Former Tennessee cornerback Alontae Taylor is leaving the New Orleans Saints to sign a 3-year, $60 million contract with the Tennessee Titans. Taylor, a native of Manchester, Tennessee, will be returning to his home state after spending his first four NFL seasons with the Saints.

Why it matters

Taylor was viewed as one of the top free agent cornerbacks in this year's class, so the Titans were able to land a major defensive upgrade by bringing the former Vol back to Tennessee. His homecoming will be a boost for the Titans as they look to improve their secondary under new head coach Robert Salah.

The details

During his four-year career at Tennessee, Taylor appeared in 45 games with 31 starts, recording 162 total tackles, five tackles for loss, four interceptions, 19 pass deflections, three forced fumbles, and half a sack. He was a second-round draft pick by the Saints in 2022 and started 53 of 64 games over his first four NFL seasons, tallying 293 total tackles, four interceptions, seven sacks, and three forced fumbles.

  • Taylor was drafted by the New Orleans Saints in the 2022 NFL Draft.
  • Taylor spent his first four NFL seasons with the Saints from 2022-2025.
  • Taylor has now signed a 3-year, $60 million contract with the Tennessee Titans for the 2026-2028 seasons.

The players

Alontae Taylor

A 6-foot cornerback from Manchester, Tennessee who played four seasons at the University of Tennessee before being drafted by the New Orleans Saints in 2022. He is now signing with his hometown Tennessee Titans on a 3-year, $60 million contract.

Robert Salah

The new head coach of the Tennessee Titans, hired this offseason to help turn around the team's defense.

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What they’re saying

“Alontae Taylor was the top target for Tennessee to join Robert Salah's defense.”

— Jordan Schultz, NFL Insider (Twitter)

What’s next

The Titans will look to integrate Taylor into their secondary as a key piece of their defensive turnaround under new head coach Robert Salah.

The takeaway

Bringing in a talented homegrown player like Alontae Taylor is a savvy move by the Titans, as they look to build a contending roster around their new coaching staff. Taylor's familiarity with the state and the program at Tennessee should help him make a smooth transition back to the Volunteer State.