NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — TENNESSEE TITANS (3-14)
Expectations
The Tennessee Titans want to make their final season at old Nissan Stadium memorable. Ending a skid of four consecutive losing seasons would be the first step in that direction. They have yet their third set of coaches in four seasons with this staff loaded with experience. Robert Saleh brought former Giants coach Brian Daboll in as offensive coordinator and Gus Bradley as defensive coordinator. For the second time in three years, Tennessee spent more than anyone else in the NFL loading up on free agents. The Titans worked this offseason to build around quarterback Cam Ward, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 draft, on offense and All-Pro defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons on defense. Tennessee signed Simmons to an extension making him the NFL’s highest-paid tackle at the time, then made left guard Peter Skoronski an extension the highest-paid guard in August. Skoronski’s deal is a sign the Titans drafted someone worth signing to a second contract whiffing on three consecutive draft classes between 2020 and 2022. This will be the final season in a stadium that opened with the 1999 season when the Titans made their only Super Bowl appearance. They move into the new Nissan Stadium next door for the 2027 season.
New faces
Saleh, Daboll, Bradley, WR Wan’Dale Robinson, CB Alontae Taylor, CB Cor’Dale Flott, WR Carnell Tate, C Austin Schlottman, DL Keldric Faulk, DE Jeremiah Johnson II, DT John Franklin-Myers, DT Solomon Thomas, QB Mitch Trubisky, P Tommy Townsend, CB Joshua Williams, DE Jacob Martin, TE Daniel Bellinger, OL Cordell Volson, QB Hendon Hooker and DE Earnest Brown IV.
Key losses
TE Chig Okonkwo, DT T’Vondre Sweat, CB L’Jarius Sneed, C Lloyd Cushenberry, RG Kevin Zeitler, P Johnny Hekker, S Mike Brown, S Xavier Woods.
Strengths
Saleh will be calling the defensive plays, which he didn’t do when coaching the Jets. He also has a defensive line led by Simmons coming off a career-high 11 sacks, and Franklin-Myers was signed to play beside Simmons to keep offenses from double-teaming the Titans captain. Johnson is in a contract year going into his second season removed from a season-ending Achilles tendon injury. Johnson is targeting a double-digit sack season to prove he was worth the first-round pick that brought him into the NFL. Saleh wants to rotate the linemen to keep them fresher so they can pressure quarterbacks.
Weaknesses
The offensive line is a big reason why Ward was sacked 55 times as a rookie, tied with Geno Smith for most in the NFL. The Titans released Cushenberry in February and let Zeitler leave in free agency. They need left tackle Dan Moore Jr. to settle in better, while some critics are ready to move JC Latham, a first-round pick in 2024, from right tackle inside to guard.
A pair of rookies led the receivers in catches and touchdowns in 2025, which made giving Ward more help a big focus this offseason. Calvin Ridley is back after reworking his contract following a season when injuries limited him to seven games. It’s why the Titans signed Robinson with a four-year deal worth up to $78 million, then used the fourth overall pick to draft Tate out of Ohio State.
Camp development
Rookie Fernando Carmona Jr., a fifth-round pick out of Arkansas, has played his way into one of the two starting jobs the Titans had open on the offensive line. The Titans let Zeitler leave as a free agent and signed Volson in free agency to compete with Jackson Slater, a fifth-round pick in 2025. But Carmona plays with a bit of a nasty edge and has quickly proven he can open holes in the run game. The rookie also has impressed coaches with his ability to communicate with Schlottman and Latham on either side.
Fantasy player to watch
Ward. How he fares in his latest new offense with help from Tate and Robinson will decide whether the Titans snap their skid of losing seasons. Ward finished his rookie season throwing 10 TD passes with only one interception over his final nine starts. He became the first rookie in franchise history to throw for more than 3,000 yards, finishing with 3,169 yards. He set the franchise record with a 1.3% interception rate, improving on Ryan Tannehill’s mark of 1.5 set in 2020.
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