With final cuts coming on Aug. 30, Tennessee’s 53-man picture is starting to sharpen, and there are still a few jobs up for grabs with two preseason games left. One day before the Titans’ joint practice with the Seahawks, the roster projection looks a lot more settled in some spots than others.
The quarterback situation may be the most intriguing battle left. Will Levis appears to be fighting for his place, and the brief uncertainty around Mitchell Trubisky after Monday’s practice bicep issue didn’t last long once Trubisky returned to action yesterday. That return strongly suggested Levis is still behind him for the QB2 role.
NFL teams can carry a third quarterback for emergency purposes without counting him against the roster, and the assumption here is that Hendon Hooker fills that slot. If that happens, Levis is the clear odd man out unless something dramatic changes over the next 10 days.
At running back, the top of the depth chart is straightforward. Tony Pollard and Tyjae Spears are locked in for the bulk of the work, while rookie Nick Singleton has clearly earned trust from the new staff that drafted him. Singleton has also turned in a strong camp.
The final spot is where things get interesting. Julius Chestnut looks like the favorite over Kalel Mullings and Michael Carter after leading the Titans in rushing in the preseason opener against the 49ers with 47 yards.
Mullings is only in his second year, but missed practice time this week does him no favors. Carter has looked like more of a short-term veteran addition from the start.
Chestnut and Mullings could still go either way, but another strong showing from Chestnut would go a long way toward ending the debate.
Wide receiver has been reshaped this offseason, and the group now looks fairly set. Wan’Dale Robinson, Carnell Tate, and Calvin Ridley project as the starters, with Elic Ayomanor and Chimere Dike competing for complementary roles.
That leaves one last opening, and it looks like a battle between Bryce Oliver and Xavier Restrepo, with K.J. Osborn also in the mix.
Restrepo may be the popular pick with fans, but Oliver has the edge in NFL experience and has reportedly made enough noise this offseason to get real attention. The projection here gives Oliver the nod.
Tight end could end up being a three-man room, but there’s enough versatility to justify keeping four. Gunnar Helm leads the group, and Daniel Bellinger looks lined up for regular-season usage as well.
David Martin-Robinson has shown something on offense during camp, while Kylen Granson brings five years of league experience and could be worth stashing. Jaren Kanak’s torn pec changed the shape of the room, but Tennessee still has a path to carrying a heavier unit.
Up front, the offensive line’s biggest question has been right guard, where rookie Fernando Carmona appears to have the inside track. That has helped clarify the rest of the group.
The projection includes Dan Moore Jr., Peter Skoronski, Austin Schlottman, JC Latham, Pat Coogan, Jackson Slater, Brandon Crenshaw-Dickson, and Austin Deculus, with Deculus slotted in as the ninth man and backup swing tackle. He hasn’t had a great camp, but the 27-year-old gives Tennessee experienced depth in a role that shouldn’t be asked to do too much.
If that leaves Cordell Volson out, so be it.
On the defensive line, the obvious anchors are Jeffery Simmons and John Franklin-Myers, with Jordan Elliott and Solomon Thomas also included. Jackie Marshall, Keldric Faulk, Jermaine Johnson, Jacob Martin, and Femi Oladejo round out the group.
Oladejo has stood out this summer and looked especially good against the 49ers, which pushed him ahead of Malik Herring in this projection. Faulk, a rookie, was always likely to make the team, and he followed up a convincing opener with another strong showing.
Jermaine Johnson, reunited with Robert Saleh, is expected to have an impact as a starter this season.
At linebacker, Cody Barton and Cedric Gray sit at the top, with Mohamoud Diabate currently showing up as the third linebacker on the unofficial depth chart. That feels a little high for where he’ll land once the season starts, but it does suggest the spring signee is in a safe spot. Anthony Hill Jr. and James Williams Sr. fill out the group, while Sean Brown has been waived/injured.
Cornerback remains the roughest-looking area for Tennessee after the starters struggled badly against San Francisco last week. Alontae Taylor, Cor’Dale Flott, Marcus Harris, and Josh Williams are all in.
Williams was called an “NFL corner” by Saleh. Micah Robinson and Keydrain Calligan look like the final two additions, with Robinson’s work in the secondary and on special teams helping his case.
Nazeeh Johnson’s six-game suspension also gives the Titans more room here.
At safety, Amani Hooker, Kevin Winston Jr., and Tony Adams are secure, and Kendell Brooks can be counted on for now as well. That leaves a decision between Erick Hallett II and Jerrick Reed II for the final spot. Hallett played 36 snaps in the first preseason game and appears to be gaining ground after a strong camp.
Special teams looks settled, too. Joey Slye is leading the specialists group after a strong camp, Tommy Townsend will handle punting, and Morgan Cox is set at long snapper. Unless Tennessee adds another kicker later in the year, that trio should stay intact.
In Other News...
Titans Running Backs Just Got The Disrespect Fans Will Remember
The Titans backfield looks set up for another season built around Tony Pollard, with Tyjae Spears positioned as the primary insurance policy and rookie Nicholas Singleton giving Tennessee a third option in the room. It is a group that still carries some intrigue because of how the offense could lean on the ground game if the passing attack has a hard time finding consistency.
Still, Pro Football Focus preseason ranking landed the Titans running back room at 22nd, a label that will not sit well with a fan base that expects more from one of the leagues most important position groups. The number itself is only part of the story, because Tennessees backs are going to matter plenty if the offense needs them to shoulder a bigger load than the outside perception suggests. [Read more 🡒]
Titans Roster Shakeup Puts Unexpected Focus On Their Defensive Depth
The Titans kept their roster moving this week, adding veteran defensive end Tanoh Kpassagnon and linebacker Milo Eifler after recent workouts while also making a change at tight end by releasing Matt Lauter. The pair of defensive signings fits the kind of late-summer roster churn that often reveals where a team thinks it needs more insulation, especially when injuries and availability start to reshape the back end of the roster.
Nazeeh Johnsons move to injured reserve adds another wrinkle for Tennessee, coming shortly after he was suspended for six games for violating the NFLs Performance Enhancing Substances policy. With Johnson unavailable and the Titans bringing in players who have already bounced around the league, the emphasis now shifts to how much reliable depth they can build on defense before the season settles in. [Read more 🡒]
Titans Add Two Defenders As One New Arrival Suddenly Stands Out
With a joint practice against the Seahawks on deck and another game looming, the Titans are continuing to churn the bottom of the roster while trying to keep the defensive depth chart stable. Tennessee placed safety Nazeeh Johnson on Reserve/Injured after his six-game suspension for violating the NFLs Performance-Enhancing Substances Policy, then opened the spot by releasing tight end Matt Lauter and bringing in defensive end Tanoh Kpassagnon and linebacker Milo Eifler.
The two additions give the Titans some extra bodies on defense at a time when preseason reps matter, and Kpassagnon in particular is a name that immediately jumps off the page among the newcomers. With the roster still in flux this close to the Seattle week, the more interesting question is how quickly Tennessee can sort out which of these fresh faces is simply filling space and which one might force his way into a larger role. [Read more 🡒]