The Tennessee Titans went into the 2026 offseason with a simple mission: speed up the rebuild around Cam Ward. They did it by changing the coaching staff, spending aggressively in free agency, and adding more help in the NFL Draft, all with the message that standing still was never going to cut it.
ESPN’s offseason grades suggest that approach landed well enough. Analytics writer Seth Walder gave Tennessee a B, and while that’s hardly a perfect report card, it came with a clear sense that the Titans are moving in the right direction.
Walder broke the Titans’ offseason down into three buckets: the biggest move, the move he liked most, and the move he liked least. His top headline was the hiring of Robert Saleh as head coach, with the setup also giving Saleh a defined coaching role while general manager Mike Borgonzi handled the roster. Because Saleh is a defensive specialist, bringing in Brian Daboll as offensive coordinator reinforced the team’s commitment to Ward’s growth.
On the personnel side, Walder’s favorite move was the signing of defensive tackle John Franklin-Meyers, a deal that helps build out a defensive front already featuring Jeffrey Simmons. Simmons also landed a major extension, becoming the highest-paid interior lineman in NFL history.
Walder also pointed to the Titans’ additions around Ward as positives. Tennessee signed wide receiver Wan'Dale Robinson, drafted Carnell Tate, and kept Calvin Ridley on a pay cut, all moves aimed at giving the quarterback more playmakers to work with.
The one part of the offseason Walder didn’t love was the cornerback spending. Alontae Taylor and Cor'Dale Flott both got big contracts, and Walder believed both could have been signed for less. But the Titans had cap space and a need at the position, and they clearly paid up to get the talent they wanted.
For now, the opinions are stacking up. The real test for Tennessee starts when the regular season gets here.
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Titans New Look Comes With One Downside Fans Will Hate
The Titans new home and away uniforms, along with fresh primary and secondary logos, marked a pretty clear reset as the franchise leaned into its new Titans Blue identity. It is the kind of update teams usually hope will clean up the brand and sharpen the look on Sundays, and for Tennessee it also brings plenty of conversation about how the new design fits alongside the older era fans still remember.
There is still a lingering wrinkle in the aesthetic overhaul, though, because the clubs new direction may leave some of its most beloved throwback possibilities in doubt. Sports Illustrateds Mike Kadlick slotted Tennessee 19th in his 2026 uniform rankings, and while the new set is getting a mixed reception, the bigger debate might be whether the Titans should shift that nostalgia toward their own original throwbacks instead of looking back to another chapter of franchise history. [Read more 🡒]
Titans Fans Finally Got A Real Read On Tony Pollard
Tony Pollard finally got a clearer picture of where he fits in Tennessee, and it comes with the kind of role the Titans have been building around all offseason. Robert Saleh has made it plain that Pollard and Tyjae Spears are the backs he plans to lean on in 2026, a vote of confidence that matches Pollards track record as a steady producer and veteran presence. He has topped 1,000 rushing yards in each of the past four seasons, and Tennessee is clearly expecting that blend of reliability and leadership to matter in a backfield that still has some moving parts.
The bigger question now is how long that arrangement lasts, because this feels like the sort of setup that can define a final chapter as much as a fresh start. Fans have already spent plenty of time looking toward the next wave of help at running back, and the Titans have a rookie in the mix who could eventually change the conversation. For now, though, Pollard appears positioned to keep handling the heavy lift, even if the runway in Nashville may not stretch much farther beyond this season. [Read more 🡒]
Titans Fans Can Feel The Offensive Buzz Building Before Camp
Training camp is getting close, and Tennessees offense already has the kind of early buzz that usually comes with a young roster and a staff that knows how to teach it. The Titans are set up with plenty of fresh faces, but also with experience on the sideline, and offensive coordinator Brian Daboll gives the group a clear place to start as the team begins sorting out who fits where.
There are a few intriguing pieces to keep an eye on before the pads come on, from rookie Carnell Tate to WanDale Robinson following Daboll from New York, plus Elic Ayomanor after a strong spring and Cam Ward heading into Year 2. Dabolls history with young quarterbacks has helped shape the conversation around this group, and the next few weeks should go a long way toward showing whether that early optimism is real. [Read more 🡒]