The Titans went into the offseason knowing exactly where the problem lived. Their edge room had been too quiet, too thin and too easy to handle in 2025, and the numbers told the story in plain English: seven outside linebackers produced only 19.5 sacks, 24 tackles for loss and 54 quarterback hits.
That kind of production is hard to survive with, especially when the rest of the defense is already fighting uphill. Tennessee’s group of Dre’Mont Jones, Jihad Ward, Arden Key, second-round rookie Femi Oladejo and Jaylen Harrell never gave the unit the kind of pressure it needed, and the lack of edge disruption became a major drag on the entire defense. Jones was moved at the trade deadline, and when the dust settled, only Harrell and Oladejo were left from that group heading into 2026.
That’s why the pre-draft chatter kept circling back to edge rushers. For much of the 2026 draft cycle, Titans fans heard that position tied to their name over and over again, and the logic behind it was easy to understand. Tennessee ultimately took a different route with the fourth-overall pick, but the need that drove those projections never really went away.
Now the Titans have raised the floor in that room, but they still don’t have the one thing Robert Saleh has leaned on in previous defenses: a true speed rusher. Jermaine Johnson and Keldric Faulk make the group better, no question.
They add substance. They add more answers.
But the one explosive edge presence that can tilt a game off the corner is still missing.
In Other News...
Commanders Are Seeing Exactly Why Titans Fans Moved On From Van Jefferson
Van Jeffersons move to Washington has put a familiar name back in the spotlight for Titans followers, even if his time in Tennessee was brief. The veteran wideout signed a one-year deal with the Commanders and is trying to carve out a role in a receiver room that still has plenty of questions beyond Terry McLaurin, which is part of why his experience stands out so much this spring.
For Tennessee, Jeffersons departure was less about a missed opportunity than a clear sign of where the front office wanted to go next. He finished last season with 29 catches for 350 yards and one touchdown, and the Titans chose not to bring him back as they turned to a younger and reshaped receiver group. Washington may still be sorting out its depth chart, but Tennessee already moved on. [Read more 🡒]
Titans Just Turned Up The Pressure In Their Cornerback Battle
The cornerback competition in Tennessee got a little tighter heading into training camp, with the Titans adding another experienced body to a position group that has been under the microscope all offseason. The move marks the fourth veteran cornerback addition of the summer, a sign the front office is still searching for the right mix of depth, reliability and special teams value as roster decisions start to come into focus.
Nazeeh Johnson brings a familiar face to the mix for general manager Mike Borgonzi, who crossed paths with him during their time in Kansas City, and that connection could matter as the Titans sort out the back end of the roster. Johnsons path has also included serious knee and shoulder injuries, which adds another layer to a camp battle that already figures to be competitive, with his ability to carve out a role still very much to be determined. [Read more 🡒]
Titans Head Into Camp With One Huge Offensive Line Question
Training camp is getting close in Tennessee, with rookies already in the building and veterans due soon, and most of the roster questions have been addressed by general manager Mike Borgonzis recent moves. One of the biggest holdovers, though, sits on the offensive line, where Peter Skoronski remains a key piece for a team trying to stabilize things up front after picking up his fifth-year option and signaling that it wants him around for the long haul.
Skoronski has been one of the more dependable players on the unit, and he is still under contract for two more seasons, but the Titans have not yet turned that into a new extension. Borgonzi has made clear the club values him, and the timing only adds to the intrigue as camp opens without that long-term deal in place, leaving one of Tennessees most important offensive linemen heading into the summer with his future still not fully settled. [Read more 🡒]