Former Vikings Defender Cut by Titans
The Tennessee Titans released a couple of players on Wednesday, some 12 days before the start of free agency, and one just so happened to play for the Minnesota Vikings in 2021. He’s Xavier Woods, a safety, and he’ll be looking for work as early as now.
Tennessee clears money, and Woods becomes a plug-and-play option for teams seeking experience.
Woods spent just one year in Tennessee and will now seek his fifth NFL team this offseason.
Titans’ Cap Savings Move Puts Xavier Woods on the Market
A little bit of roster maintenance for the Titans.
TEN Drops Woods
TitanWire‘s Mark Mihalko delivered the news this week: “On Wednesday, the Titans decided to part ways with veterans Xavier Woods and Lloyd Cushenberry (failed physical designation), freeing up roughly $7.1 million in salary cap space heading into free agency.”
“Woods was brought in last offseason to be a veteran presence for both the defense and the secondary, but battled some injury issues and eventually gave way to rookie Kevin Winston Jr. as the season progressed. Woods finished 2025 with 11 games played and 39 total tackles. Unlike Cushenberry, Woods’ release did not accompany a failed physical designation, meaning he has recovered from the hamstring injury that landed him on injured reserve.”
To refresh your memory, Woods was the guy who took over for Anthony Harris in 2021 for the Vikings.
The Cap Savings and Future at Safety for Titans
The Titans free up about $4 million in cap space with the Woods maneuver, eating about a $1 million in dead cap, which is certainly manageable.
Without Woods in the mix, Winston Jr., last year’s rookie safety mentioned by Mihalko, will presumably get the nod as a starter. Winston Jr. is 22 years old, and Tennessee spent a 3rd-Rounder on him last year.
The rookie played 10 games in 2025, starting 5, and logged 34 total tackles, 4 tackles for loss, 4 quarterback hits, and a sack. Winston Jr. has the necessary size at 6’2″ and 208 pounds, producing a commendable 61.2 Pro Football Focus mark as a rookie. His pass coverage is suspect — a 43.4 grade from PFF — but his pass-rush scoring was stellar (91.7)
Winston Jr. could be on the cusp of a breakout season under new head coach Robert Saleh.
Music City Miracles‘ Jimmy Morris noted on the Woods release, “Woods signed a 2-year $8 million deal with the Titans before the 2025 season. He was mostly a non-factor for the team during his time in Nashville. This will not be the end of the cuts for the Titans. L’Jarius Sneed is certainly going to be cut, and all eyes are on Calvin Ridley. Will the Titans keep or cut him?”
Woods’s Career Resume
A 6th-Round pick by the Dallas Cowboys in 2017, Woods has played for four teams in nine seasons, with 134 games to his name, including 121 starts. Here’s his destination resume:
- Dallas Cowboys (2017–2020)
- Minnesota Vikings (2021)
- Carolina Panthers (2022–2024)
- Tennessee Titans (2025)
He’ll turn 31 this summer, so he should have a few seasons left as a dependable safety. He could start with the right team or serve as a reputable backup.
Time in MIN
The Vikings used the franchise tag on Anthony Harris in 2020 — the last time they used that tactic on anyone — and didn’t bring him back in 2021. In return, general manager Rick Spielman signed Woods to patrol the back end of Mike Zimmer’s defense. Woods logged a 66.4 PFF grade that year, and most fans considered him a wise free-agent signing.
But when 2022 rolled around, Minnesota had cleaned house in the front office and on the coaching staff, rendering Woods a non-priority. He eventually signed with the Panthers and registered the best season of his career in 2023 with an 80.3 PFF score.
The Vikings replaced Woods with a combination of Camryn Bynum and Josh Metellus. Metellus remains on the team to this day.
Of course, the grand plan to replace Woods was a man by the name of Lewis Cine. Minnesota drafted him in Round 1 of the 2022 NFL Draft. But Cine broke his leg as a rookie, and when he recovered, the NFL had passed him by. He remains one of the biggest busts in Vikings draft history.
Woods, meanwhile, should have no problems finding work this offseason. He’s steady.
The Titans could also be in play to draft Ohio State’s Caleb Downs in April, a safety who is considered by some to be the best defensive player in this year’s draft. If so, the Woods move in February will make a lot of sense.
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