The Tennessee Titans’ first unofficial depth chart is out, and Calvin Ridley’s place on it tells a pretty clear story. Even with all the usual preseason uncertainty, Ridley is still sitting in the mix as the team gets ready for Thursday’s preseason opener against the San Francisco 49ers.
For Ridley, this feels like a pivotal year. If he does indeed begin the season handling WR3 duties, the Titans may be looking at this as his last real shot to carve out a meaningful role in Tennessee.
He was brought in on a four-year, $92 million deal, a move that initially suggested more of a miscast weapon than an overpaid veteran. Instead, his time in Tennessee has been defined by falling short of expectations.
That picture has shifted a bit. A few injuries and a voluntary paycut later, the pressure on Ridley is not what it once was. Tennessee has moved on from Brian Callahan and added a lot more pass-catching help around Cam Ward, which means Ridley no longer has to carry the burden of being the top receiving answer.
Still, the competition around him is real. Elic Ayomanor and Chimere Dike are both waiting in the wings, and Ridley’s margin for error is not especially generous.
Ayomanor is currently being evaluated for a shoulder injury suffered in training camp, but he outproduced Ridley last season as a rookie. Ridley, of course, missed a large chunk of the year because of multiple injuries, and that has a lot to do with how little runway he has left.
Ayomanor made his mark in a tough situation, hauling in four touchdowns while the coaching structure around him was falling apart. Dike added four touchdowns of his own, and he also earned attention for his special teams work. Those performances matter, and they help explain why Ridley can’t afford a slow start.
The Titans still have room for Ridley to get back on track. But with the team leaning harder into its younger pass catchers, the window for him in Tennessee is looking a lot smaller than it once did.
In Other News...
Titans Fans Got An Early Look At What Camp Might Become
The Titans gave fans a first real glimpse of what training camp might look like on Saturday at Nissan Stadium, and the early edge belonged to the defense in a Blue & White scrimmage that ended with a one-point victory. Cam Ward helped steer the offense with a touchdown pass, while Nick Singleton made the most of starter reps and Carnell Tate stacked up multiple catches, offering a quick snapshot of a roster still sorting out roles as camp gets rolling.
For a team that is trying to build rhythm before the schedule tightens, the scrimmage served as a useful check on where things stand. Tennessee now turns its attention to a joint practice and then the preseason opener against the San Francisco 49ers, where the real evaluation will start to sharpen and the competition for snaps figures to get even more competitive. [Read more 🡒]
Titans Depth Chart Just Raised The Stakes For Several Young Players
The first unofficial depth chart out of training camp and a scrimmage gave a clear early snapshot of where things stand for Tennessee, and it leaned toward experience in several of the rosters most watched competitions. Rookie Carnell Tate is the only rookie penciled in as a starter, while the chart also suggests the Titans are giving veterans the edge for now at linebacker, wide receiver and along the offensive line.
Robert Saleh still has not locked in the starting offensive line, which keeps the door open for younger players to climb before the season starts. For the rookies and second-year players trying to force their way into bigger roles, the next stretch of camp will matter, because this first look says the staff is willing to reward steadiness while still leaving room for someone to change the picture. [Read more 🡒]