The Titans didn’t bring Keldric Faulk to Tennessee just to watch him blend in.
They moved back into the first round for him after already using the No. 4 pick on Ohio State receiver Carnell Tate, sending Buffalo picks 35, 66 and 101 in exchange for picks 31, 69 and 165. That kind of maneuver says plenty on its own. General manager Mike Borgonzi made it even clearer after the pick.
"He was our highest-rated guy at the time, and we thought this guy really fit the defense well,” Borgonzi said."
Faulk’s Auburn résumé gives you a sense of why Tennessee leaned in. Over three seasons, he started 32 straight games, served as a team captain and picked up third-team All-SEC honors in 2025.
He also appeared in all 37 games of his college career. Pro Football Focus painted a more nuanced picture: 26 tackles in 2023, 35 in 2024 and 26 in 2025, with defensive grades that climbed from 68.4 to 83.8 before settling at 75.8.
That’s the profile the Titans are working with now - not a finished product, but a player whose size and versatility line up with what Robert Saleh wants on defense.
Faulk’s introduction to that system started at rookie minicamp, where he began learning Saleh’s scheme. During OTAs, the focus shifted to his get-off. By the time training camp opened, the real test was whether those adjustments would show up once the pads came on.
There have already been signs. On day three of camp, Faulk got a pass knocked down at the line of scrimmage. It wasn’t a headline play, but it was the kind of snap that shows up on a defensive coach’s radar because it doesn’t require a tackle to matter.
For now, Tennessee appears willing to ease him in. The first unofficial depth chart had him behind Jacob Martin, which seems like a fair place to start while the staff sorts out the best way to deploy him.
His first preseason action offered another look. Against the 49ers, Faulk started at defensive end and finished with three tackles. Small sample, sure, but it gave the Titans a glimpse of how he might fit into the rotation.
The next step was interrupted by injury. Faulk recently dealt with a stinger-related shoulder issue in camp, though reports say it is much less serious than initially feared. He missed joint practice with the Seattle Seahawks and was held out of Sunday’s second preseason game as a precaution.
Even with that setback, the early signs have been encouraging. The San Francisco game gave Tennessee a first taste of what Faulk can do, and once he gets back on the practice field, he’ll have more chances to show that the work is starting to carry over.
In Other News...
Titans Bubble Players Just Changed The Roster Cut Debate
The Titans second preseason win, a 19-16 decision over the Seahawks, gave the coaching staff a little more to sort through as roster cuts approach on Aug. 30. In a game that often serves as a final audition for players on the bubble, a few names made their case while others left the kind of tape teams cant ignore.
Chester Rogers helped his standing with a promising outing, and Joey Slye also looked sharp in a role where every kick matters this time of year. On the other side of the ledger, Malik Willis and CorDale Flott did not help themselves, which is exactly the kind of uneven night that can turn a straightforward cut-down process into a much tougher debate for Tennessee. [Read more 🡒]
Titans Make A Late Camp Linebacker Move Worth Watching
The Titans are making another late-summer adjustment at linebacker, turning to Reid Carrico after placing Milo Eifler on injured reserve. Carrico arrives as an undrafted rookie who was recently waived by the Browns, and Tennessee is giving him a look at a time when every rep matters and roster spots are shrinking.
Carricos appeal is pretty straightforward for a team trying to sort through its depth: he showed some defensive ability in a brief stint with Cleveland, and he brought a solid college rsum to the table after transferring from Ohio State to West Virginia. Whether the Titans stash him on the practice squad or see enough to keep him in the mix for their rotation, this is the kind of move that can quietly shape the last days of camp. [Read more 🡒]
Titans Defense Gave Fans An Early Preseason Problem To Worry About
The Titans had little to feel good about on the defensive side of the ball in their second preseason game against the Seahawks, where the starters were on the field long enough to leave an early concern hanging over the rest of August. Tennessee went into halftime trailing 16-9, and all of the scoring came from Randy Bullocks steady work on field goals while the offense remained uneven, even if Malik Willis looked better than he did in the previous game.
The bigger worry was the way Seattles backup offense moved the ball against Tennessees starting defense, capped by two touchdowns and a 69-yard Jacardia Wright run that quickly made the rounds online. Treylon Burks still was looking for his first catch of the night, and while preseason results do not define a season, this was the sort of uneven defensive showing that can stick with a team for a while. [Read more 🡒]