The Titans’ 0-5 start has already changed the conversation in Tennessee. This is no longer about chasing a playoff spot; it’s about what Mike Borgonzi does with a roster full of veterans whose timelines don’t line up with where the franchise is headed. The general manager has to think about draft capital, future flexibility and Cam Ward’s development all at once.
That creates a tricky balancing act. Borgonzi can’t just strip the roster bare if it risks getting in Ward’s way, but he also can’t ignore the reality that several veterans are running out of runway in Tennessee. If there’s a market, he may be better off moving some of those pieces now rather than waiting for their value to sink further.
Tony Pollard looks like one of the clearest names to watch. According to PFF, he’s sitting at the lowest average yards per attempt, yards after contact per attempt and breakaway rate of his Titans career so far this season.
He’s still functioning as a decent runner, but the burst that once made him dangerous has faded. At 29, it’s hard to see him still in a Titans uniform next year.
A trade wouldn’t likely bring back much, but injuries around the league could open a door, especially if a contender like the Philadelphia Eagles or Green Bay Packers decides it needs help at running back.
Jermaine Johnson presents a tougher call. Tennessee made one of the more unusual moves of the offseason by sending T’Vondre Sweat to the New York Jets for Johnson, then choosing not to lock him up right away.
He’s now in the final season of his rookie deal, and Spotrac has his next contract at $18.3 million per year. That’s a steep price for an edge defender who, by the source’s framing, doesn’t offer much as a pass rusher.
If the Titans want him back, the time to act is now. If not, they need to see what his trade market looks like before he walks for nothing.
Calvin Ridley may be the easiest name to project moving on, even if the contract situation is a little different. He isn’t technically on an expiring deal, since he’s signed through 2027, but the expectation is that Tennessee would cut him after this season if he’s still around.
He has already lost his starting spot, and waiting until the offseason would only make the eventual split feel inevitable. The problem is the money: any team taking him on would be staring at almost $20 million next season.
That could scare off most suitors. Still, a receiver-needy team trying to make a playoff push might be willing to part with a late-round pick to get him.
In Other News...
Cam Ward Is Already Facing A Brutal Titans Reality
Cam Wards first month as the Titans starter has been a rough follow-up to the hype that came with being the 2025 No. 1 overall pick. Through five weeks of the 2026 season, he has completed 63.2% of his passes for 896 yards with three touchdowns and three interceptions, and Tennessees 0-5 start has only sharpened the scrutiny around a young quarterback expected to steady the franchise.
The pressure has become impossible to miss, especially after Sports Illustrateds Matt Verderame ranked Ward last among NFL starting quarterbacks. With the losses piling up and no early signs of a turnaround, the conversation in Tennessee is already drifting to what comes next if Ward cannot clean things up quickly, including whether Robert Saleh would eventually turn to Mitch Trubisky for a different look under center. [Read more 🡒]
Titans Face A Backfield Question That Could Shape Cam Wards Future
The Titans backfield is already one of the quiet pressure points around the roster, and it only gets sharper with the offense stuck near the bottom of the league in rushing. Tony Pollard and Tyjae Spears are both playing on expiring contracts, which leaves Tennessee staring at a future in which the current options might not be part of the long-term plan.
For a team still searching for traction at 0-5, the running back decision matters beyond the ground game alone, especially with Cam Wards development hanging over so much of what comes next. If the Titans move on from their current tandem, the market could eventually include names like Brian Robinson Jr., Zach Charbonnet, and Chase Brown, but the bigger question is whether Tennessee sees the position as a place to spend or a spot to build differently as it looks ahead to 2027. [Read more 🡒]
Titans Just Became The Team Opponents Barely Even Celebrate Beating
The Texans Week 5 win over Tennessee came with the kind of tone that tends to sting beyond the final score. Houston safety Calen Bullock pointed to his teams defensive performance after the game, but the bigger story for the Titans was the way they were handled on that side of the ball. Houston held Tennessee to 187 yards and piled up four sacks while earning its first win of the season, a reminder of how far the AFC South rivals have diverged early on.
For Tennessee, the loss dropped the club to 0-5 and added another chapter to a brutal start that has left little room for celebration around opponents who beat it. The Texans will move on to Jacksonville in Week 6, but the Titans are left searching for answers after another game in which the offense never found much traction and the result felt, from the other sideline, almost routine. [Read more 🡒]