Six months ago, the Titans were staring at a rebuild with no head coach, no proven offensive difference-makers, and a defense that still needed help around Jeffery Simmons. That picture looks a lot different now, and ESPN’s latest offseason grading took notice.
Tennessee landed a B- from Seth Walder, with Robert Saleh’s hiring identified as the move that set the tone for everything else. As Walder put it:
"The Titans reset this offseason, handing over the head coaching keys to Saleh and 53-man control to GM Mike Borgonzi," Walder said. "Saleh, the former Jets coach, hired former Giants coach Brian Daboll to be his offensive coordinator. The hope is clear -- that Cam Ward will develop under Daboll the way Josh Allen and, at least briefly, Jaxson Dart did."
That’s the heart of the Titans’ offseason, and it’s hard to argue with the idea that this was more than just another coaching shuffle. Tennessee didn’t simply add names; it brought in a staff loaded with experience.
The head coach, offensive coordinator and defensive coordinator are all former head coaches, and Bones Fassel stands as the NFL’s best special teams coordinator. That’s a rare level of pedigree across all four major coaching spots.
Walder also gave the Titans credit for assembling an interesting, high-upside group of pass catchers. His main concern wasn’t whether the players can help, but whether Tennessee may have paid a little more than necessary to get them.
That criticism only goes so far. The Titans entered free agency with the most money to spend and, depending on the source, they’re still near the top of that list. In that kind of position, using cap space to bring in players who fit the new schemes and can become impact pieces makes sense.
Football isn’t won on a spreadsheet. If these additions do what the Titans believe they can do, the price tag won’t matter much. Tennessee wasn’t going to find a better use for that money sitting idle.
Given the usual way small-market teams get treated in offseason rankings, the Titans probably had a case to come in even higher. Still, a B- is a strong nod to how far they’ve come in a short time. The roster isn’t finished, and nothing is proven yet, but the direction is clear now in a way it wasn’t before.
In Other News...
Three Titans Rookies Are Already Threatening Starting Jobs
The Titans came out of the 2026 NFL Draft with seven new players, and the rookie class already looks like it could shape the depth chart before the season gets too far along. Carnell Tate, taken No. 4 overall, is the obvious headliner and is expected to step in right away at wide receiver, but the more interesting part of Tennessees rookie haul is how quickly the rest of the group could push for real snaps.
Linebacker Hill, center Coogan and edge rusher Faulk all have paths toward starting roles, even if those paths look different. Hill has the kind of profile that could make him a factor early, Coogan has a chance to force his way into the middle of the line if the current setup wobbles, and Faulk may have to earn his way through a rotational role first. For a Titans team trying to build around young talent, the first month could tell a lot about how many of these rookies are ready to matter right away. [Read more 🡒]
Titans May Have Just Made A Huge Kevin Winston Jr. Bet
Kevin Winston Jr. looks like the kind of bet the Titans are willing to make now, even if the payoff is still a little ways off. The rookie safetys first season was shaped by the partially torn ACL he brought in from Penn State, but he still found a way onto the field for 10 games and showed enough to leave Tennessee thinking bigger about his role moving forward.
The real signal is how the roster has been adjusted around him. Tennessee has added Tony Adams for depth and for his familiarity with Robert Salehs defensive system, while Winston is positioned to keep climbing as the safety group settles in. If the plan holds, 2026 is the year he is expected to move into the starting picture, which says plenty about how the Titans view his long-term value. [Read more 🡒]
Titans Offense Still Isn't Getting Bought Into Before 2026
Even after a busy offseason and another wave of roster tinkering, the Titans still are not earning much trust when it comes to the offense. Jared Dubin of CBS Sports slotted Tennessees offensive infrastructure at No. 31 in the league, a harsh evaluation that reflects more than just skepticism about the passing game. The larger concern is the same one that has followed this team for a while: the line still looks like the place where drives can stall before they ever get started.
Dubin also was not convinced that adding Wan'Dale Robinson and Carnell Tate meaningfully changes the equation, which leaves the Titans leaning on hope as much as personnel. There is at least some belief that Brian Daboll can help steer the unit in a better direction, but the bigger question is whether the front office did enough to address the most obvious weakness before turning the page toward 2026. Until the offensive line proves it can hold up, the rest of the plan remains hard to buy into. [Read more 🡒]