The Titans’ preseason didn’t give Carnell Tate much to show on the stat sheet, but it also didn’t give anyone enough to start drawing hard conclusions.
Tate finished his three preseason games with zero receptions on six targets, and that empty line has been impossible to ignore for a player taken fourth overall to help Cam Ward drive an offensive turnaround in Nashville. In last night’s finale against the Chicago Bears, he came painfully close to breaking through, only to miss on what would have been a deep-ball touchdown.
Still, the bigger picture matters here. Tate was not the only Titan fighting through a rough preseason, and some of his missed chances came with Ward still trying to find his own rhythm in a new setting.
On a handful of throws, Tate had a real shot. On others, he was a step late, or the ball simply wasn’t where it needed to be.
And that’s where the caution comes in. Seven total drives across three preseason games - including just one on Saturday - is a tiny sample, especially for a rookie in the middle of a rebuild.
There’s no serious case to be made either way from that kind of workload. Even Ja’Marr Chase managed just one catch on five targets in his three preseason games with the Cincinnati Bengals.
Tate’s no-catch preseason also sits alongside a much louder reminder of his upside: his knockout, two-touchdown performance in Tennessee’s joint practice with the Bears just two days earlier. That’s the contradiction Titans fans are left with - a receiver who looked dangerous in one setting and quiet in another, but one whose talent is obvious enough to keep the door wide open.
Whether Robert Saleh and the Titans build specific plans to get Tate going will be something to watch. Not every rookie clicks right away, and the pressure around this one is real because of what’s riding on Saleh’s rebuild. But the pieces are there, and the preseason alone doesn’t settle anything.
In Other News...
Titans Roster Could Claim A Few More Surprising Victims Soon
The Titans first 53-man roster already carried a few surprises, and it may not be the last version fans see. Tennessee trimmed down to its opening roster with some notable decisions, including veteran guard Cordell Volson and wide receiver Bryce Oliver, but the work is far from finished as the team continues to sort through the final shape of the group.
With the Titans holding the fourth waiver priority, there is still room for more movement as other clubs make their own cuts and the market opens up. Inside that churn, a few names already look vulnerable based on performance and roster needs, including Austin Deculus, Garrett Dellinger and Jerrick Reed II, which means the next wave of decisions could reshape the depth chart again before the dust settles. [Read more 🡒]
Titans Finally Addressed The Backup Tackle Problem Fans Hated
The Titans spent part of their roster shuffle giving the offensive line a different look, releasing tackle Austin Deculus and signing veteran James Hudson to the 53-man roster. It was one of several moves the team made in the same sweep, alongside additions of Owen Pappoe, Terrell Burgess, Nazir Stackhouse and Melvin Smith, with Xavier Restrepo, Erick Hallett II, Mo Diabate and Jerrick Reed II waived in corresponding moves.
Hudson gives Tennessee a more familiar option at a spot fans had been unhappy about, especially given his history with offensive line coach Carmen Bricillo. The veteran has played in 60 NFL games with 19 starts, and the Titans are clearly leaning on that experience as they keep sorting out the depth behind the top tackles. [Read more 🡒]
Titans Defense-First Waiver Push Came With One Unexpected Cut
The Titans wasted little time shaping their roster after cutdown day, making a series of moves that underscored how heavily they want to lean on defense. Tennessee cut linebacker Mohamoud Diabate while claiming four players off waivers, including linebackers Owen Pappoe and Smith Jr., defensive tackle Nazir Stackhouse and veteran safety Burgess, a clear sign the front office was hunting for more depth on that side of the ball.
What made the transaction list stand out was not just the volume of defensive additions, but the unexpected departure that came with it. Diabates exit opened the door for the new wave of claims, and the Titans now have a reshaped group to sort through as they continue refining the back end of the roster and trying to stockpile options before the season gets moving. [Read more 🡒]