The Tennessee Titans are heading into a revealing stretch in Santa Clara, where Tuesday’s joint practice with the San Francisco 49ers will be followed by Thursday’s preseason opener at Levi’s Stadium. It’s the first chance to see this revamped roster against another team, with the starters expected to get plenty of work in practice and the depth pieces taking center stage in the game.
That makes this a useful week for sorting through a few key names, and it starts with the quarterback-receiver connection that has already flashed in camp. Ward and Tate have been on the same page early, and their latest practice only added to that. The pair hooked up for three touchdowns during Tennessee’s practice on Sunday, and Tuesday should offer a much tougher proving ground.
Tate, the No. 4 overall pick, is likely to see Deommodore Lenoir across from him in the joint session. That’s a meaningful matchup for a rookie, especially against a corner who has started 64 games over five seasons since the 2021 NFL Draft, when San Francisco took him in the fifth round.
Ward’s task is just as important. He’ll be trying to navigate a 49ers defense coordinated by Raheem Morris, and while that unit still looks formidable, it won’t be at full strength with Nick Bosa missing multiple practices in a row because of soreness.
For the Titans, the Tuesday work should say plenty about where the offense stands right now, especially with Ward and Tate. If Tennessee is going to move the ball against a defense with this much talent, those two will have to show they’re ready for the moment.
Another player worth tracking is Restrepo, who is very much in the middle of a roster battle. He hasn’t turned in a huge camp, but he has been steady and has avoided the kind of rough stretches that can sink a player fighting for a spot.
The preseason game should give him a larger stage, and he’ll need to make the most of it. If he can produce as a receiver and contribute on special teams, his case gets stronger.
There’s also a path here for the Titans to carry seven receivers rather than the usual six, which would help Restrepo’s chances. Still, the real task is simpler than that: take the reps he gets and do something with them.
Carmona is another name to watch after his best day of camp on Sunday. The fifth-round rookie earned first-team work and made it count, with A to Z Sports reporting that he helped spring multiple key blocks on a long Tyjae Spears run and lost his helmet in the process. That kind of physical edge matters, especially with Cordell Volson and Jackson Slater battling for the starting right guard job.
Carmona should also see more action on Thursday, giving him a chance to keep pushing into the conversation. The Arkansas product has a real opening if he can back up that Sunday performance with more of the same in Santa Clara.
Then there’s Latham, whose third season is being framed as a big one from the start. Tuesday marks the first major test of what could be a make-or-break Year 3, and the setup is there for him and the rest of Tennessee’s offensive line to control things. San Francisco’s defensive line has been hit hard by injuries, so there won’t be much room for excuses if the Titans struggle up front.
Since coming off the PUP list, there hasn’t been a ton of noise around Latham outside of a skirmish with Jeffery Simmons last week and a few updates here and there, which is usually what an offensive lineman wants. The Alabama product has the size and talent to be a dominant right tackle, and he finished 2025 on a strong note by not allowing a sack over Tennessee’s final four games. The next step is staying healthy in 2026 and carrying that momentum forward.
In Other News...
Cam Ward Is Already Showing Titans Fans A Different Edge
A recent joint practice with the 49ers offered an early look at what Cam Ward can bring to the Titans beyond arm talent. The rookie quarterback did not back down from a lively exchange with Fred Warner, and the back-and-forth fit the kind of competitive setting both teams seemed to want. Ward came away valuing the challenge, while Warner praised the fearless approach that showed up across the session.
For Tennessee, that edge matters because practice got chippy enough that some Titans players had to be pulled aside after altercations, a reminder that these meetings can blur the line between work and tempers. The preseason game between the teams is still ahead, but this one already gave the Titans a glimpse of how Ward handles pressure when the intensity rises and the defenses are not giving him anything easy. [Read more 🡒]
Titans Center Battle Is Starting To Tell A Bigger Story
As the Titans get set for a joint practice and preseason game against the 49ers, the center competition is beginning to take on more shape than the team probably expected this early in camp. Early reports and Tennessees first preseason depth chart point to Austin Schlottmann, the free-agent addition, as the player trending toward the starting job, with ESPNs Turron Davenport noting the way the reps have been sorting out and teammates also offering support for what they have seen.
Pat Coogan is still in the mix, but the first preseason depth chart offered a clearer snapshot of where things stand by placing him behind Andre James and Schlottmann. For a line still sorting out its best configuration, the center spot matters well beyond one position battle, and the Titans now have a small but meaningful clue about which direction they may be leaning as the preseason work picks up. [Read more 🡒]
Titans Depth Chart Just Turned These Camp Battles Into Real Pressure
The Titans put out their first depth chart of the season ahead of the preseason meeting with the San Francisco 49ers, and it immediately gave some of camps quieter competitions a more official feel. Running back Nick Singleton, linebacker Cody Barton, swing tackle options Austin Deculus and Brandon Crenshaw-Dickson, along with kicker Joey Slye all landed in the spotlight as the staff started sorting out who has the inside track in a handful of unsettled spots.
For Tennessee, the bigger takeaway is that these early listings are less about final answers than about where the pressure is landing right now. Positions along the offensive line and on special teams can flip quickly in August, and the Titans will be watching closely to see who handles the first real test against another teams uniforms, especially with several jobs still very much up for grabs. [Read more 🡒]