The Tennessee Titans spent the offseason doing something that can be hard to pull off on an offensive line: they replaced experience without leaning on the draft or a splashy free-agent shopping spree.
Lloyd Cushenberry was hurt, but moving on from him and Kevin Zeitler still took some nerve. The two veterans combined for 20 NFL seasons, and they were easily the most seasoned blockers on the roster. Yet Tennessee found a way to reset the group without using a Day 1 or Day 2 pick, and without pouring major money into free agency.
A big part of that starts with Carmen Bricillo, the team’s new offensive line coach. The source of the Titans’ confidence is pretty clear: everywhere Bricillo has coached, his offensive lines have improved from the previous year, and the units have tended to struggle after he departs.
That hire is easy to overlook, but it ended up being the most important move Tennessee made. It also helped set up the next piece.
The Titans seemed to know exactly what they were doing when they brought in Austin Schlottmann to solve the center spot. Bricillo, Robert Saleh, and Mike Borgonzi all appeared to believe he was the answer, enough so that Tennessee cut Cushenberry before free agency and chose not to keep Corey Levin, who had been the backup center.
Schlottmann, the former New York Giants backup center, grabbed the job and never gave it back. He was the clear starter throughout training camp, and in preseason action he looked the part. Coaches and teammates repeatedly praised him for functioning like another coach on the field, keeping everyone lined up and aware of their responsibilities in the newly installed offense.
Right guard, though, came together in a different way. That spot was supposed to be a steady landing place for Cordell Volson, with second-year player Jackson Slater pushing to take it.
If Slater developed into the player Tennessee believed it drafted in 2025, he could force out a journeyman. If not, Volson would serve as a short-term fix and the team would revisit the issue next offseason.
Instead, the battle took a sharp turn once preseason games began. By the time the first one arrived, fifth-round rookie Fernando Carmona had earned the starting nod with the first-team offense. Like Schlottmann, he held onto the spot once he got it.
That outcome gave Tennessee a cleaner path than it could have reasonably expected. The center job was settled through smart evaluation and some inside knowledge from former coaches, while the right guard spot was resolved by a mix of talent and good fortune. Either way, the Titans had their starting five in place early, which matters when it comes to building chemistry.
Dan Moore, Peter Skoronski, and J.C. Latham are all back in the same spots they occupied last season, and they’ve had more than a month to work alongside Schlottmann and Carmona. Those reps have come not just in practice, but against the starting defenses of the San Francisco 49ers, Seattle Seahawks, and Chicago Bears during joint sessions.
There are no guarantees here, and Week 1 probably won’t look like a finished product. But if Schlottmann and Carmona can simply be league-average starters, the ceiling starts to look a lot more interesting. Latham has the tools to grow into an upper-tier right tackle, and Skoronski remains the clear prize of the group.
So while the Titans’ offensive line was once viewed as a weakness, it now has a real chance to become something better. Not immediately, maybe not even in Week 1, but possibly by Week 5 or 6, when the unit has had time to settle in. If that happens, Tennessee could be headed toward an offense where the line helps drive both the passing game and the running game instead of forcing both to survive around it.
In Other News...
Will Levis' NFL Return Chance Emerges After Messy Titans Exit
Will Levis is already on the move after his release from Tennessee, landing a workout with the Jets as they sort through their quarterback depth. New York is weighing additions to the practice squad, and head coach Aaron Glenn said the team is looking at options that include veteran quarterbacks, a sign the door is at least cracked open for Levis to find a quick landing spot.
The visit also puts Levis back in a familiar competition, this time alongside Jack Plummer for backup duty behind Cade Klubnik, who was named the Jets backup quarterback. For a player whose Titans exit ended messy, the next chapter could come quickly, but the path back into an NFL building still depends on whether New York decides he fits what it needs right now. [Read more 🡒]
Titans Just Turned A Cam Ward Critic Into A Bigger Debate
The Titans have found themselves in the middle of an unnecessary side story around Cam Ward, and it has quickly become bigger than one preseason comment. Jared Stillman, who publicly said Ward's exhibition performance was "not well" during a press conference exchange, had his media credentials revoked by the team, creating an immediate buzz around how the organization is handling outside criticism of its rookie quarterback.
For Tennessee, the timing matters because every note about Ward now gets filtered through both football and optics. The team has not offered an official explanation for the credential decision, leaving the move to speak for itself and inviting a broader debate about where fair criticism ends and access starts. [Read more 🡒]
Titans Have 4 Young Names Who Could Force Bigger Roles
The Titans have settled on their 53-man roster and practice squad for the 2026 season, and the next question is how quickly some of the younger pieces can push their way into bigger jobs. With Robert Saleh overseeing an overhauled defense and the offense leaning on a mix of rookies and sophomores, there is a clear path for development to turn into opportunity if the right players take advantage of it.
Among the names worth watching are wide receiver Elic Ayomanor, defensive end Jacob Martin, tight end Gunnar Helm and running back Tyjae Spears. Each brings a different kind of upside, and each sits in a spot where a strong start could alter his standing before long, especially on a roster still sorting out how much production it can squeeze from its younger talent. [Read more 🡒]