NASHVILLE — The Tennessee Titans went into their bye week with a secondary that had just been picked apart by Cincinnati, and a possible fix emerged on Monday. Cornerback Nazeeh Johnson, a free agent who served a six-game suspension, has been cleared for football activities, according to a report from NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
Johnson had just finished a six-game suspension for violating the NFL’s policy on performance-enhancing drugs while also rehabbing an ankle injury. He had ankle surgery in August, and the Titans released him from injured reserve on Aug. 30. A to Z Sports reported that the team had known about the potential suspension when it signed him in late July.
The need is clear. In Sunday’s 43-36 overtime loss to the Bengals, Joe Burrow threw for 462 yards and five touchdowns, and Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins combined for 21 catches and 296 yards. Cornerback Josh Williams, covering both, allowed nine catches for 133 yards and two touchdowns on 10 targets, according to A to Z Sports, and he was flagged for pass interference in the end zone before halftime.
Nickel back Marcus Harris, who had been the Titans’ most consistent cornerback, left in pain after a teammate clipped him while diving to make a tackle. He walked off under his own power but did not return. Alontae Taylor, who signed a free-agent deal with $42 million guaranteed, moved to the nickel spot after being benched earlier this season, and he had five tackles and a forced fumble.
Johnson came up in Kansas City, where Titans general manager Mike Borgonzi also worked. The Chiefs drafted him in the seventh round in 2022, and he played 11 games as a rookie on a Super Bowl championship team. He tore an ACL in 2023, played 16 games with six starts in 2024 and missed most of 2025 with a shoulder injury.
A to Z Sports called the move logical but said Johnson will not fix everything that went wrong in Cincinnati. How much Tennessee needs him depends on how Taylor settles in at nickel and on Harris’ status. The Titans are 1-7 and have a week to figure it out before Week 10.