The Titans are heading into camp with real uncertainty along the offensive line, but if you’re looking for rookie help at center or right guard in 2026, the message here is pretty clear: temper those expectations.
Tennessee reported its rookies on Thursday, July 23, with the veterans set to follow on Tuesday, July 28. That group includes Pat Coogan and Fernando Carmona, two Day Three picks who were brought in with the future in mind more than immediate jobs. Even with the Titans thin at both center and right guard, neither rookie is viewed as a serious contender for meaningful playing time this season.
The path at center points to Austin Schlottmann, who was brought in to take over as the starter. Schlottmann also reunites in Tennessee with offensive coordinator Brian Daboll and position coach Carmen Bricillo after working with them on the New York Giants. At right guard, the competition appears to be between sophomore Jackson Slater and free-agent addition Cordell Volson.
That setup leaves Carmona and Coogan on the outside of the main battle. Tennessee drafted Carmona in the fifth round after letting Kevin Zeitler leave in free agency, then took Coogan in the sixth after releasing Lloyd Cushenberry with a failed physical designation. But those moves didn’t come with an immediate runway for either rookie.
Internally, the Titans seem to view Volson as a bounce-back candidate at right guard, which only tightens the window for the younger linemen. For now, both rookies look more like developmental pieces than players poised to crack the lineup.
Slater’s situation offers the clearest roadmap. He spent last season developing behind the scenes and now gets a legitimate shot to win a starting job. The Titans would love to see Coogan and Carmona follow a similar arc, just not right away.
Schlottmann is on a two-year deal, but nothing about 2027 is locked in for him. If Coogan keeps progressing, he could eventually start pushing there. Volson, meanwhile, is on a one-year contract, so if Slater can’t beat him out, the conversation next offseason could shift toward Carmona as the higher-upside option.
For now, though, Tennessee is counting on veterans - and in Slater’s case, a developing sophomore - to handle the heavy lifting in 2026. The rookies were drafted to address long-term holes, not to solve this year’s problems.
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