The Tennessee Titans caught some breaks when the schedule came out, but there’s one part of it that should have fans looking twice: a run of quarterbacks who could be in the middle of an MVP push in 2026.
That’s a problem for a defense that is expected to be much better under Robert Saleh, even after Tennessee added talent in free agency and watched Jeffery Simmons sign an extension to stay in Nashville for the long haul. The Titans are coming off a combined 6-28 record over the last two seasons, and the hope is that a new coaching staff, a stronger roster, and Cam Ward entering his second season with an upgraded supporting cast will finally move things in the right direction. Brian Daboll is leading the offense, which should be in far better shape than it was under Brian Callahan.
But the schedule doesn’t exactly hand out easy answers. Tennessee will still have to deal with Jalen Hurts, Lamar Jackson, Dak Prescott, and Jayden Daniels, and that’s before getting to the trio of quarterbacks Lou Scataglia of NFL Spin Zone listed among the six most likely to win their first NFL MVP award in 2026.
Those three all show up on the Titans’ slate: Jared Goff and the Lions in Week 14, Trevor Lawrence and the Jaguars in Weeks 10 and 12, and Joe Burrow and the Bengals in Week 8.
Goff and Detroit are expected to be a force again in 2026, especially with a new offensive coordinator in Drew Petzing and one of the deepest supporting casts in football. Goff’s game as a pocket passer makes him a tough matchup for any defense, and Tennessee will have to be ready for that kind of precision.
Lawrence is a familiar name for Titans fans, and he was arguably the best player in football down the stretch last season before the playoffs. He played at an MVP level and even gave the Bills a fight in the first round.
Tennessee knows what Lawrence can do, and Lawrence knows what the Titans have been missing. Maybe that changes, maybe it doesn’t.
Burrow may be the toughest of the group. He has already shown what he can do, and he has the kind of receiver duo that can tilt a game with Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins. If he stays healthy, the Titans will have their hands full when the Bengals come to town.
In Other News...
Titans Receiver Battle Could Force An Early Saleh Daboll Decision
The Titans receiver room has already taken shape in a hurry, with Wan'Dale Robinson, Carnell Tate and Calvin Ridley giving the offense a clear core as Robert Saleh and Brian Daboll settle into their first camp together. What remains is the kind of depth-chart squeeze that can define the back half of August, when a handful of receivers are left fighting for a place in a group that suddenly looks much closer to finished than fluid.
Bryce Oliver, Xavier Restrepo and K.J. Osborn are among the names still in the mix, and each brings a different case to the table as the Titans sort through the final decisions. Restrepo, in particular, has already shown how quickly a promising camp can turn into a lost opportunity, which only adds to the pressure on this battle as the 2026 season nears and the margin for error keeps shrinking. [Read more 🡒]
A Shocking Number Of Titans Fans Still Miss This Team Detail
For all the attention Tennessee fans give to the roster, the franchise has carried a familiar sideline presence since the move to Nashville and the rebrand from the Oilers to the Titans. The mascot was introduced in 1999 and was built around Tennessees state wild animal, giving the team a local touch that has stuck through the years and become part of the game-day routine.
T-Rac has also built a rsum that goes well beyond simply entertaining the crowd, with multiple Pro Bowl trips on the NFL mascot circuit. In a league where some teams still operate without an official mascot at all, Tennessee has had one of its own for a long time, and the fact that some fans still seem to miss that detail says plenty about how easily the little things can fade into the background. [Read more 🡒]
Titans Camp Is About To Decide A Line Question Fans Hate
With veterans set to report to training camp on July 28, the Titans are about to get a real look at one of the more uncomfortable questions on their roster. The spot drawing the most attention is on the right side of the line, where Cordell Volson and Jackson Slater are set to spend camp trying to separate themselves in a competition that could shape how the offense settles in early.
Volson arrives after missing last season because of injury, while Slater is still early in his career and has yet to log a start. The coaching staff plans to evaluate both throughout camp before making a call, which means this is the kind of job that may not be decided quickly, or cleanly, and one that could linger deep into the summer. [Read more 🡒]