Titans’ Painful Rebuild Reaches a Crossroads: It’s Time to Get Aggressive
From the moment GM Mike Borgonzi and team president Chad Brinker signaled a conservative approach to free agency, it was clear the Titans were playing the long game. But with a 1-11 record staring them in the face, the early returns on that strategy have been brutal. This season hasn’t just been a step back-it’s been a full-on reset, and now Tennessee finds itself at a pivotal moment.
The Titans are in the thick of a multi-year rebuild, and the current roster reflects that reality. Playmakers are few and far between, and the offense, in particular, has looked like a unit still searching for an identity.
The team’s struggles aren’t just about youth or inexperience-they’re about a lack of difference-makers on the field. And that has to change.
The Calvin Ridley Gamble That Never Paid Off
Nowhere is the front office’s conservative approach more evident-and more costly-than at wide receiver. The Titans essentially put all their eggs in the Calvin Ridley basket, hoping he’d be the veteran anchor for a young, unproven group. On paper, the plan had logic: Ridley could take pressure off rookie pass-catchers like Chimere Dike, Gunnar Helm, and Elic Ayomanor while helping quarterback Cam Ward settle into life in the NFL.
But the NFL isn’t played on paper.
Ridley couldn’t stay healthy or consistent, and with no proven depth behind him, the Titans’ passing game collapsed before it ever found a rhythm. That left Ward trying to navigate his rookie season with a supporting cast that simply wasn’t ready. Four rookies starting on offense isn’t just a developmental challenge-it’s a recipe for growing pains, and Tennessee has felt every bit of them.
That kind of roster construction can’t happen again in 2026. Not if the Titans are serious about building around Ward. Not if they want to compete in a league where firepower isn’t optional-it’s essential.
A Coaching Search That Will Shape the Future
The Titans are casting a wide net in their head coaching search, and the emphasis is on leadership and culture. That’s a smart move for a team trying to reset its foundation.
But once that hire is made, the real work begins. Tennessee will have the resources-both in cap space and draft capital-to reshape this roster in a meaningful way.
And that’s the pitch to any coach stepping into this situation: there’s flexibility, there’s room to build, and there’s a young quarterback in Cam Ward who still has the tools to be something special. But he needs help. Real help.
Time to Build Around Cam Ward-For Real
If the Titans believe Ward is their quarterback of the future, then it’s time to start treating him like one. That means giving him a real supporting cast. It means surrounding him with receivers who can win one-on-one, backs who can create after contact, and an offensive line that gives him time to work.
Ward isn’t built to be a checkdown machine. He’s a playmaker-a quarterback who thrives when he’s allowed to push the ball downfield and play with confidence.
But that version of Ward can’t exist in the current offensive structure. Not without weapons.
Not without protection.
The front office needs to be aggressive this offseason. Whether it’s via free agency, trades, or the draft, Borgonzi and Brinker have to prioritize adding legitimate playmakers.
The kind of players who change games. The kind of players defenses actually have to game-plan for.
No More Half-Measures
This season has been a tough watch for Titans fans. But it’s also been revealing. The team’s lack of offensive firepower has been exposed week after week, and there’s no sugarcoating the fact that the current approach hasn’t delivered results.
The good news? The Titans are in a position to do something about it.
They’ve got the resources. They’ve got the flexibility.
And soon, they’ll have a new head coach with a fresh vision.
But it all starts with one thing: urgency.
Tennessee can’t afford another offseason of half-measures. If they want to build around Cam Ward, if they want to turn the corner in this rebuild, then Borgonzi and Brinker need to go get guys who can make a difference on Sundays.
Because the rebuild clock is ticking-and the Titans can’t afford to waste another year.