The Tennessee Titans have spent five straight seasons stuck in the same ugly lane: a passing game that just hasn’t gotten off the ground.
This year was no different. The Titans finished 30th in passing yards as an offense, averaging 166.1 per game.
That followed a 2024 season in which they ranked 26th under Brian Callahan and Will Levis at 195.1 yards per contest. Before that, the numbers kept sliding through a brutal run: 29th in 2023 at 180.4 per game, 30th in 2022 at 171.4, 24th in 2021 at 201.1, and 23rd in 2020 at 228.3.
That kind of year-to-year malaise is exactly why the Titans attacked the offseason the way they did. They moved on to defensive-minded head coach Robert Saleh, then brought in Brian Daboll as offensive coordinator, one of the most coveted names on the market. Daboll was high on Cam Ward as a prospect and is clearly eager to help develop him this season.
Tennessee also went hard at receiver. The Titans drafted Carnell Tate fourth overall and gave Wan’Dale Robinson a $70 million deal in free agency. Both players were improved by Daboll, and the expectation is that they’ll sit at the center of the passing game.
And the group around them looks deeper than it has in a long time. Tennessee kept Calvin Ridley on a restructured contract instead of cutting him loose as a cap casualty. The Titans also have second-year receivers Chimere Dike and Elic Ayomanor, plus a tight end room that includes the developing Gunnar Helm and Daniel Bellinger, who landed a deal worth $8 million per year.
The assignment is simple enough to say and hard to pull off: the Titans need a real passing attack in 2026, not another season of bottom-tier output. How far that offense goes will depend heavily on Ward’s growth in year two, with Daboll, Tate, and Robinson all brought in to push the unit forward.
In Other News...
Cam Ward Just Gave Titans Fans An Early Camp Concern
The Titans first padded practice of training camp brought an early reminder that Cam Wards growth will not be measured only by the splash plays. The quarterback did show some of the arm talent and rhythm that have made him such a central figure in Tennessees plans, but the session also included a pair of interceptions that underlined how quickly a practice can shift from promising to revealing once the pads come on.
What stood out was the decision-making part of the equation, not just the results. Robert Saleh pointed to the need for Ward to be smarter with the football as he settles into his second year, and while Ward bounced back with other accurate throws, the practice served as a useful checkpoint for a young quarterback still learning when to take the safe exit instead of forcing a throw into traffic. [Read more 🡒]
Titans Camp Intensity Is Rising As Young Standouts Force Attention
The first padded practice of Titans training camp brought the kind of edge coaches usually hope to see once the helmets and shoulder pads come on. The tempo picked up, the contact felt real, and a few younger names made it hard to ignore them, with Cam Ward, James Williams, Elic Ayomanor and Nick Singleton all standing out during a session that had more bite than the early camp workouts.
The physical tone also came with a brief flash of temper when Jeffery Simmons and JC Latham got into a minor altercation, only for things to settle quickly before it escalated. For Tennessee, that kind of edge can be a good sign this time of year, especially when the roster is still sorting out which players are ready to push into bigger roles and which ones need more time to prove they belong in the mix. [Read more 🡒]
Titans Rookie Jaren Kanak Is Forcing His Way Into This Camp Battle
Through the first four training camp practices, Jaren Kanak has started to make himself part of the conversation in a Titans tight end room that is still sorting out the back end of the roster. The rookie has flashed the kind of athleticism that made him such an interesting late transition story in college, and his work has shown up in recent sessions, including a five-catch stretch across two practices as fans got their first look at the group this week.
Kanak is still fighting for a roster spot, and his path to making it will likely run through special teams more than a featured role on offense. Even so, the former linebacker-turned-tight end is giving Tennessee something to think about early in camp, which is exactly the kind of push a young player needs if he wants to turn a developmental opportunity into something more permanent. [Read more 🡒]