The Tennessee Titans are heading into Week 4 at 0-3, and the mood around the roster is getting colder by the week. A matchup with Derrick Henry and the Baltimore Ravens doesn’t exactly offer much relief, either. With losses piling up, the Titans could be staring at a longer-term reset - maybe even a full youth movement if general manager Mike Borgonzi decides the current path isn’t working.
That matters because this isn’t a team short on young talent. Tennessee already has plenty of rookies and sophomores in prominent roles, but there are still veterans hanging onto snaps while younger players wait for their turn. A few of those older pieces have been struggling badly enough to land on very thin ice.
Calvin Ridley is the clearest example. The Titans brought him back this offseason after restructuring his contract, but the production just hasn’t followed.
Through three games, he has only two catches for 35 yards. It’s not as if he’s disappearing on his own - Ridley is creating separation - but the offense hasn’t done enough to keep drives alive or generate the kind of explosive plays that would get him more involved.
Even with the Titans trailing in Week 3, Ridley played a season-low 20 snaps. Meanwhile, Elic Ayomanor was on the field for a season-high 50. Carnell Tate and Wan’Dale Robinson have become the top two receivers, and Ayomanor’s rise has come directly at Ridley’s expense.
At linebacker, Cody Barton is another veteran looking vulnerable. Tennessee has young difference-makers in Anthony Hill Jr. and Cedric Gray, and both have made Barton’s limitations stand out even more.
The 29-year-old has clearly lost some burst, especially when he has to move laterally. He’s currently seventh on the team in tackles despite being on the field for 81.16% of defensive snaps, which tells you plenty about how the staff is viewing him.
The direction at linebacker feels obvious from here: more Gray, more Hill, and even more James Williams Sr., with less Barton.
Jermaine Johnson II is also slipping toward the edge. Among the Titans’ five pass rushers with qualifying Pro Football Focus grades, he owns the worst mark at 45.5. Johnson has still managed a team-high nine pressures, but the results haven’t come with it - he has zero sacks and a team-low 3.0 WIN%.
That’s a rough combination for a player expected to help drive the pass rush. Rookie Keldric Faulk picked up his first career sack in Week 3, and sophomore Femi Oladejo has shown more flashes as well. If Johnson keeps trending this way, Tennessee has reason to start shifting more of those snaps toward Faulk and Oladejo.
In Other News...
Titans Suddenly Have A New Offensive Line Problem Before Ravens Game
The Titans offensive line took another hit this week, and it comes at an especially inconvenient time. Tennessee placed right guards Fernando Carmona and Jackson Slater on injured reserve after both underwent surgery, leaving the team with two more unavailable pieces inside as it turns its attention to Baltimore.
Garrett Dellinger was promoted from the practice squad to the active roster to help fill the gap, but the move only underscores how thin the Titans are getting at right guard. With the Ravens on deck in Week 4, Tennessee now has a fresh protection problem to sort out before it can even get to game-planning for one of the leagues tougher fronts. [Read more 🡒]
Titans Face A Cam Ward Dilemma In Marvin Harrison Jr. Debate
The Titans slow start has only sharpened the focus on how they plan to support Cam Ward as the rebuilding season unfolds. At 0-3, Tennessee is already in a familiar spot for a team searching for long-term answers, and any discussion about adding help now inevitably circles back to whether the rookie quarterback has enough around him to grow into the job.
Marvin Harrison Jr. has surfaced in that conversation because multiple teams are said to be checking on his availability, with a day-three draft pick mentioned as a possible return for the Cardinals. For Tennessee, the appeal is obvious: a high-end receiver could accelerate Wards development and give the offense a much-needed jolt, but the fit also comes with real questions about whether a move like that makes sense while the quarterback is still struggling to find his footing. [Read more 🡒]
Tony Pollard Could Be Headed Back Into A Contender's Plans
The Titans slow start has only sharpened the attention on what they do next, and Tony Pollard has already become part of that conversation. Tennessee is 0-3 and searching for answers on offense, which has made every move around the roster feel a little more consequential as the season gets underway.
ESPNs Dan Graziano raised the possibility that Pollard could surface as a trade candidate if he stays healthy and the Titans are not planning to extend him. If that path opens, a number of contenders could take notice, with the Saints, Vikings and Packers all mentioned as potential suitors looking to add a proven back into their plans. [Read more 🡒]