The Titans’ preseason ended Saturday night with a 24-15 loss to the Chicago Bears, and now the hard part hits: getting down to 53.
Tennessee has until Sunday afternoon to trim the roster, and while resting some starters gave a few players more runway, there’s still plenty to sort through. Head coach Robert Saleh’s choices helped sharpen the picture a bit, but the final call remains tricky. Here’s one last crack at how the roster could land.
At quarterback, the Titans are projected to keep just two. There’s been some media buzz around a three-quarterback setup, with Will Levis as the most likely extra name if that route were taken, but the prediction here is that Tennessee stays lean with Ward and Trubisky and uses the roster spots elsewhere.
Running back looks stable at four. Chestnut holds onto the last job thanks to what he brings on special teams, even after D’Ernest Johnson turned in a strong outing and made a late push. Johnson could still be a practice squad option, while second-year back Kalel Mullings, who missed most of camp, may end up on injured reserve.
The wide receiver group gets one notable tweak: Restrepo is in. The second-year receiver keeps finding ways to make plays, and the connection with Cam Ward still appears intact. Bryce Oliver ends up on the outside looking in, with his receiving production not matching up to his special teams value.
Tight end also settles at four. Granson got extra work with Gunnar Helm and Daniel Bellinger both sitting out, and that opportunity was enough to push him onto the 53.
Up front, the offensive line projection includes nine players: Dan Moore Jr., Peter Skoronski, Austin Schlottmann, Fernando Carmona, JC Latham, Jackson Slater, Pat Coogan, Cordell Volson, and Brandon Crenshaw-Dickson. Volson is the final piece, getting the nod because of his experience and the veteran presence he can provide in the room. Tennessee could still add help after cuts, but this is the group that looks most likely to open the season.
The defensive line is the biggest room on the roster projection, with 10 kept in place. Jeffery Simmons, John Franklin-Myers, Jermaine Johnson, and Jacob Martin are joined by Femi Oladejo, Keldric Faulk, Solomon Thomas, Jordan Elliott, Khalen Saunders, and Truman Jones.
Saleh is expected to rotate heavily there and carry about nine on game day, so 10 on the roster fits. Rookie Jackie Marshall is the odd man out and is projected to land on the practice squad after not doing enough in camp or the preseason.
Linebacker trims down to five. Cody Barton, Cedric Gray, and James Williams Sr. headline the group, with Anthony Hill Jr. and Dorian Mausi rounding it out. Mausi gets the final spot because of special teams value, helped along by Mohammoud Diabate struggling in the preseason finale.
At cornerback, the Titans are forecast to keep five: Cor’Dale Flott, Alontae Taylor, Marcus Harris, Joshua Williams, and Micah Robinson. Tennessee will likely add more help to the practice squad, and both Keydrain Calligan and Mario Goodrich made enough of an impression to stay in the conversation. That number could still shift if Joshua Williams is not cleared from his pec injury.
Safety comes in at five as well, with Amani Hooker and Kevin Winston Jr. starting the group and Tony Adams, Kendell Brooks, and Erick Hallett filling out the rest. Adams’ nickel versatility helps the numbers work, while Hallett’s steady rise through camp puts him on track to make the team.
Special teams stays locked in with Joey Slye at kicker, Tommy Townsend at punter, and Morgan Cox at long snapper. Slye remained perfect through the preseason, and Townsend drew praise after looking like a Pro Bowler against the Bears.
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Titans Just Turned A Feel Good Roster Story Into A Bigger Debate
The Titans spent the opening stretch of cutdown season trying to sort out the bottom of the roster, and one of the more encouraging stories took an unexpected turn. Xavier Restrepo had survived the initial trim to 53, a sign the team valued the rookie receiver enough to keep him around while other moves were being made. In the same wave of transactions, Tennessee leaned heavily toward defense, adding cornerback Melvin Smith Jr. and safety Terrell Burgess as it continued reshaping the back end of the roster.
Now Restrepo is off the active roster, which changes the conversation around one of the clubs feel-good depth pieces. The move does not appear to close the door on his Tennessee future, since he is still expected to be a candidate to return on the practice squad, but it does underline how fluid the Titans final roster picture remains. For a team still balancing immediate needs against longer-term development, even a relatively modest receiver decision can ripple into a bigger debate about where the roster is strongest, and where help is still being prioritized. [Read more 🡒]
Will Levis Drama Just Pulled Titans Fans Back Into That Era
Will Levis old connection to Tennessee is back in the conversation, this time through Gia Duddy and a social media post that sent Titans fans down memory lane. Duddy and Levis began dating in early 2021 while they were at different schools, and their long-distance relationship drew plenty of attention once Levis landed with the Titans as a 2023 NFL Draft pick.
Now that Levis is no longer on Tennessees roster and has entered free agency, the spotlight around that chapter has shifted in a different direction. Duddy recently posted a video from Nashville Stadium, and with rumors also linking her to Bengals wide receiver Andrei Iosivas, it has only added another layer to a story Titans fans had probably filed away until now. [Read more 🡒]
Titans Cut Day Left One Roster Move Fans Will Debate Most
The Titans have mostly wrapped up the churn that always follows cut-down day, and the shape of the offseason roster is starting to come into focus. Keeping Jeffery Simmons on the defensive front was never really in doubt, but the rest of the moves offered a clearer picture of what Tennessee values right now: depth in the secondary, some added flexibility on the edge, and a willingness to keep reworking the back end of the roster until it feels right.
What will linger longest for fans, though, is the decision to move on from Kyle Philips, a player whose fit and role had already been debated for months. At the same time, the additions of Elijah Molden and Amani Hooker give the defense more familiar pieces to lean on, while the signing of offensive tackle James Hudson adds a lineman with prior experience and some coaching staff familiarity. It all adds up to a roster that looks more settled than it did a day ago, even if one of the bigger calls is the one people are most likely to argue about. [Read more 🡒]