The Tennessee Titans have plenty to sort out in Week 1, and not just on the breakout-candidate side of the ledger. When the New York Jets come to town, a few players are walking into the kind of game that can either solidify their spot or put it in real danger.
That starts with Calvin Ridley. He’s expected to be in the wide receiver rotation all season, but his current place as Tennessee’s projected WR3 is already under pressure.
Elic Ayomanor, now in his second year, is pushing hard behind him, and Ridley doesn’t have the luxury of easing into the season. After two muted years in Tennessee, with injuries factoring into the mix, the 31-year-old needs to produce right away.
The Titans’ offense is loaded with young talent, and Week 1 should tell the story on how long Ridley stays relevant in that crowded receiver group.
Another player with plenty on the line is Flott, who has drawn criticism throughout the preseason for his play in the secondary. One of Tennessee’s pricier offseason additions, he got off to a rough start by allowing San Francisco 49ers rookie De'Zhaun Stribling to haul in seven catches for 63 yards. Most of that damage came with Flott nearby, and while the fifth-year cornerback settled in somewhat after that debut, the miscues kept stacking up just enough to keep his reputation shaky.
Week 1 gives Flott a chance to reset that narrative and defend a key starting role in the secondary. But the flip side is obvious: a rough outing against Geno Smith, who has been labeled the most turnover-prone quarterback in the league, would only make things worse.
Fernando Carmona also enters the spotlight, and in a different way. The fifth-round pick didn’t arrive with much pressure, but that changed once he earned the starting job at right guard and pushed veteran Cordell Volson off the roster. Now the rookie has to show he can hold up immediately.
Carmona’s first live NFL test comes against David Onyemata and T'Vondre Sweat, a matchup that will ask plenty of him from the jump. He earned the chance to start, but this is a trial by fire, and Week 1 will show just how ready he is for it.
In Other News...
Titans Offense Just Got A National Verdict Fans Will Hate
USA TODAYs preseason offense rankings did not offer much comfort for a Titans group trying to turn the page. Tennessee landed 31st, a blunt reminder of how far the unit still has to climb, even after a busy offseason aimed at making the attack more functional around quarterback Cam Ward. The front office has tried to address the obvious pain points, bringing in receivers Wan'Dale Robinson and Carnell Tate while also giving the offensive line a boost with rookie Fernando Carmona and a new extension for Peter Skoronski.
There is at least a case to be made that the Titans are not starting from the same place they were a year ago. Ward remains the starter, and the pieces around him look better on paper than they did last season, which is exactly why the ranking stings a little more. It is one thing to be underestimated in the preseason and another to have a national outlet look at the roster and still place the offense near the bottom, leaving Tennessee with a long way to go before the actual production matches the offseason optimism. [Read more 🡒]
Cam Ward Now Has Everything Needed To Silence Titans Doubters
Cam Wards first season in Tennessee came with plenty of hard lessons, from taking too many sacks to trying to steer a team that simply did not win enough around him. So when FanSided slotted him 23rd among active quarterbacks, it fit the uneasy middle ground he now occupies, a young passer with enough traits to intrigue but not yet enough proof to quiet the noise. The Titans have spent the offseason trying to change that conversation by reshaping the environment around him and making it easier for his next step to show up on the field.
Brian Daboll is now in place as offensive coordinator, and Tennessee has also worked to improve the receiving group around Ward with Wan'Dale Robinson and first-round pick Carnell Tate among the additions. It is the kind of support system that can make a real difference for a quarterback still trying to turn flashes into consistency, and it is why the 2026 season feels like such an important one for Ward. The doubt is still there, but for the first time since his arrival, so is a clearer path to answering it. [Read more 🡒]
Robert Saleh's Titans Face An Uncomfortable AFC South Reality
Robert Saleh is stepping into a familiar but uneasy Tennessee Titans job, with the team set to welcome its third head coach in three years in 2026. The move comes after four straight losing seasons since 2021, and while there is an expectation that the Titans can take a step forward, the broader picture around them is not exactly forgiving.
Garrett Podell of CBS Sports still has Tennessee pegged to finish last in the AFC South, which is a reminder of how steep the climb remains. Houston, Jacksonville and Indianapolis all bring more established competition in the division, leaving Saleh and the Titans with more than just an internal reset to manage as they try to change the trajectory. [Read more 🡒]