The Tennessee Titans have spent enough time in rebuild mode. That’s the message Solomon Thomas delivered when he spoke with Titans media, and he didn’t leave much room for interpretation.
“We're not culture-building here, we're winning here,” Thomas said.
That line landed because it cuts straight through the usual fog that hangs over a team trying to climb out of a multi-year reset. Tennessee has brought in new voices and new faces, and Robert Saleh is now the one tasked with steering the whole thing.
But Thomas made it clear that, from his point of view, the point is not to slowly assemble something for later. It’s to start producing now.
Thomas arrived in Tennessee in March after being traded from the Dallas Cowboys, part of a spring overhaul that brought in veterans meant to matter right away. At 31, he fits that mold.
So does defensive end John Franklin-Myers, who joined the Titans in free agency after leaving the Denver Broncos. Franklin-Myers is 29, the same age as Jeffery Simmons, and together they give Tennessee a defensive line pairing built to make noise immediately, even if the window on that kind of veteran punch isn’t endless.
That urgency is the through line here. Tennessee has also invested in younger talent, especially on offense, but this isn’t being framed as another patient project under Brian Callahan. After two years of rebuilding that didn’t generate much offense or momentum, Saleh wasn’t hired to keep treading water.
The Titans don’t need a Super Bowl parade in Year 1 of Saleh’s tenure, but three wins again should be the bare minimum to avoid calling this another lost season. Tennessee has been overlooked in preseason projections, though that’s hardly shocking. What matters more is whether that outside skepticism has any bearing on the standard inside the building.
Thomas’ answer suggests it shouldn’t.
He said the new additions aren’t there to gradually manufacture a new identity. The message is that the energy around the team has changed because Saleh’s group is doing things differently than Callahan’s did. It’s less about long-term branding and more about immediate direction.
There’s also an offensive piece to this. Cam Ward is expected to take a big step, and Tennessee is essentially renting Brian Daboll’s services as offensive coordinator for this season. The idea is no longer to settle for spoiler roles and hope the draft bails you out later.
That’s why the veteran additions matter, why Carnell Tate was picked to make an impact from day one, and why Saleh’s hire was made to push the franchise where Callahan couldn’t. The first real test comes quickly.
It starts Sunday, Sep. 13, against the New York Jets.
In Other News...
Titans Secondary Still Has One Week 1 Concern Robert Saleh Must Fix
The Titans went into the offseason knowing their secondary needed help, and the additions of Alontae Taylor and CorDale Flott gave Robert Saleh two corners with the kind of upside that can change the feel of a defense. Taylor has flashed throughout camp, piling up three interceptions and pairing that with a strong 2025 coverage grade, while Flott has shown he can hold his own too, finishing above the NFL average even if the route there has not been perfectly clean.
The problem is that the talent has come with some coverage mistakes and penalties that can quickly turn into drive-extending plays once the games count. For Tennessee, the next step is not just getting both corners on the field, but getting them on the same page with the rest of the back end, and that puts the spotlight on Salehs ability to tighten up communication and assignments before Week 1 arrives. [Read more 🡒]
Titans Secondary Still Has One Problem A Big Trade Could Solve
The Titans have spent the offseason trying to reshape a secondary that still looks like a work in progress, even after bringing in corners Alontae Taylor and CorDale Flott. Through preseason action, the group has yet to flash the kind of clear dominance Tennessee would like to see, which keeps the back end squarely on the radar as the regular season approaches.
One possible answer is hanging out in New England, where Christian Gonzalez is dealing with a contract dispute that could push his status into season-opening uncertainty. The Patriots have not publicly shopped him, but if the holdout stretches on, Tennessee could be among the teams that at least checks in on what a trade would take, especially if the Titans want a more proven piece to stabilize the defense. [Read more 🡒]
Titans May Already Be Setting Up Dan Moores Biggest 2026 Pressure
Dan Moore arrived in Tennessee on a four-year deal in 2025 with the expectation that he would help stabilize the Titans pass protection, but his struggles in that area have already made his long-term standing worth monitoring. For a team trying to build something more dependable up front, left tackle is too important a spot to leave unanswered for long, especially when the early returns have already raised questions.
Trevor Goosby is one name that could eventually enter the conversation if the Titans decide they need a different answer on the edge. He is seen as a developing tackle with strong athletic traits and the kind of upside that makes him an intriguing future left tackle, which is exactly why the 2026 season could matter so much for Moores hold on the job. [Read more 🡒]