Lost in all the talk about the upgrades made to the offensive line and the excitement of having the first overall selection in the 2025 NFL draft, the Tennessee Titans added some key veterans as free agents. One of those, safety Xavier Woods, has flown completely under the radar.Â
Woods has the experience and veteran savvy to stabilize the Titans’ secondary, something the team lacked in 2024 after injuries ravaged the unit. Woods might not have been the flashiest signing of the offseason, but his presence on the field and in the locker room should be one of the more critical additions they made.Â
The eight-year veteran, who has played with the Dallas Cowboys, Minnesota Vikings, and Carolina Panthers, recently spoke with the media and discussed many things, including his potential fit in Nashville.Â
“Nice young pieces (here),” Woods told reporters. “Speaking for the DB room, you have Jarvis (Brownlee), and (L’Jarius) Sneed, and we know what he is capable of. And Amani (Hooker), I’ve been watching him from afar. And we just drafted another safety (Kevin Winston Jr.) as well. So, nice young pieces, as well as some vets mixed in. Hopefully, we can all mesh well and take knowledge from everyone.”
He also knows that nothing will be handed to him, even though he is a free-agent acquisition. As a former late-round draft choice, he understands how the league operates and that the only thing he can control is what he does to set the tone.
“I came in (2017) as a sixth-round draft pick, so nothing was promised,” Woods said. “I had to make every opportunity count. I could have been cut and never made it to this point. I probably wasn’t supposed to make the team, but every opportunity I got, I made a play. That’s just my motto – make a play a day. If I get the opportunity, never give it back. Once I got the opportunity, whether it’s starting practice or starting a game, I think it speaks for itself – I never gave it back. Just being from that standpoint, I just want to earn my teammates’ respect, being at a new place, and make the most out of everything.”
He has made the most of his opportunity in the NFL. In his career, he has made 111 starts, with 616 tackles, 13 interceptions, 47 passes defensed, 11 stops for loss, one sack, five forced fumbles, and five fumble recoveries.
Now, he comes to a franchise searching for a new atmosphere and identity, hoping to bring his production and experience to Nashville and contribute to building a consistent contender.Â
