The Tennessee Titans are staring at another cut day with plenty still unsettled, but the outline of the 2026 roster is starting to come into focus. Robert Saleh has already put the pressure on the group, and after a rough showing against the Seahawks, the message is pretty clear: this team has to be sharper, tougher and better across the board.
At quarterback, the prediction points to Cam Ward and Mitchell Trubisky, which would push Will Levis out of the picture. That would mark a clean break from the former second-round pick, whose 5-16 career record has become impossible to ignore. ESPN is on the same page, with Turron Davenport writing, “Carrying two quarterbacks will most likely signal the end for Will Levis' time in Nashville,”
The backfield looks more settled. Tony Pollard, Tyjae Spears and Nicholas Singleton are locked into the first three spots, while the final job appears to be a fight between Julius Chestnut and Kalel Mullings.
Chestnut gave himself a real boost against Seattle, running eight times for 48 yards with a 15-yard burst and adding three catches for 24 yards. That kind of production has him in the lead for now, though Mullings is still hanging around with a chance to steal it late.
Receiver is where the Titans are leaning on quantity more than proven firepower. Calvin Ridley, Wan’Dale Robinson, Carnell Tate, Elic Ayomanor, Chimere Dike and Bryce Oliver make the projected group, which leaves KJ Osborn and Xavier Restrepo on shaky ground.
Ayomanor has stood out in camp, and he said his own approach has changed. “There were times when I just wasn’t being fully myself in terms of like aggression and attacking every [snap],” Ayomanor said.
“So that’s something I’ve been working on a lot this offseason.”
Tight end could still shrink before the final roster is set. Gunnar Helm, Daniel Bellinger, David Martin-Robinson and Kylen Granson are in the mix, but there’s a real chance Tennessee only keeps three.
If that happens, Granson would be the likeliest to go. Martin-Robinson currently has the edge, though both he and Granson have stayed alive because of their athletic traits.
Up front, the Titans are building with numbers and versatility rather than star power. Dan Moore Jr., Peter Skoronski, Austin Schlottmann, Fernando Carmona Jr., JC Latham, Brandon Crenshaw-Dickson, Jackson Slater, Pat Coogan and Andre James are projected to stick.
Andre James gets the nod because he can move around the line, and that kind of flexibility matters when injuries start hitting. Cordell Volson and Austin Deculus, meanwhile, look more like practice squad possibilities than true roster threats.
Saleh made it plain that the line has to improve, and NBC Sports noted the offense overall wasn’t good enough against Seattle. “I thought the first drive was good,” Saleh said.
“We went out there and got some points. Thought Cam, again, was good with the ball, good decision-making.
We just couldn’t connect on a couple of deep throws, but, overall, it’s got to be better. I’m not trying to sugarcoat it.
It does got to be better, but at the same time, there’s always going to be things that we can take from.”
Defensively, the Titans’ front is shaping up as one of the strongest parts of the roster. Jeffery Simmons, John Franklin-Myers, Jermaine Johnson II, Jordan Elliott, Keldric Faulk, Femi Oladejo, Solomon Thomas, Jackie Marshall, Jacob Martin and Khalen Saunders all make the cut in this projection.
ESPN’s Davenport called it the team’s best unit, writing, “The front line is the best unit on the team,” and adding, “Saleh wants a deep rotation along the line, so they keep 10 defensive linemen. Johnson and Martin lead a young group of outside pass rushers.”
At linebacker, Cody Barton, Cedric Gray, Anthony Hill Jr., James Williams Sr. and Mohamoud Diabate are in, though there’s a path for Dorian Mausi if the Titans decide to trim the defensive line to nine. That one is tight.
Cornerback is another spot that could change if Tennessee decides to add depth somewhere else. Alontae Taylor, Cor’Dale Flott, Marcus Harris, Joshua Williams and Micah Robinson are projected to make it, while Keydrain Calligan remains on the bubble.
At safety, Amani Hooker, Kevin Winston Jr., Tony Adams, Kendell Brooks and Erick Hallett II are the names to watch. Hallett’s versatility and toughness fit what Saleh wants from the defense, and that could be enough to get him through cut day.
The specialists are straightforward: Joey Slye at kicker, Tommy Townsend at punter and Morgan Cox at long snapper. Slye has already made a living in the league for seven seasons, with stops in Washington, Carolina, New England, Tennessee, Houston and San Francisco. He helped his case against the Seahawks by hitting all four field goal attempts, including a 55-yarder.
In Other News...
Titans Roster Projection Hints At A Familiar QB Shift After Seahawks Game
The Titans are moving toward the August 30 roster cut deadline, and the final preseason games have started to clarify where Robert Salehs first full roster in Nashville may be headed. Based on camp and preseason work, the projection pieces together the likely 53-man group across the offense and defense, with quarterback drawing some of the closest attention as the team sorts through its depth chart after the Seahawks game.
Several position groups still have a few spots in the balance, from running back and wide receiver to tight end, offensive line and the defensive line. For Tennessee, the bigger picture is less about one isolated battle than the overall shape of the roster, and the quarterback room remains one of the most watched parts of that puzzle as the team heads into cut-down week. [Read more 🡒]
Titans Fringe Roster Battle Just Got Tougher For A Few Players
The Titans second preseason win over the Seahawks did more than push the record to 2-0. It also sharpened the competition for the back end of the roster, with the August 30 cutdown date getting closer and a few players starting to separate themselves in a crowded evaluation process. Julius Chestnut, Pat Coogan and Keydrain Calligan have been among the names making the strongest impression, which matters now because every snap carries extra weight for players trying to stick.
At the same time, not everyone is helping their case. Xavier Restrepo and Jackson Slater have been on the other side of that conversation, and those kinds of uneven preseason stretches can matter a lot when coaches and front office decision-makers start lining up the final roster math. The Titans still have time to sort through the group, but the next week-plus figures to be especially unforgiving for anyone already on the bubble. [Read more 🡒]
Titans Passing Problems Go Well Beyond Cam Ward
Passing-game frustrations in Tennessee have not been pinned on Cam Ward alone, and the coaching staff is making that point clear as the offense searches for answers. Offensive coordinator Brian Daboll said the issues go beyond the quarterback, pointing to route detail and protection as part of the problem, while Ward has acknowledged missed chances and said he is still getting comfortable in the new system.
Robert Saleh backed that up by saying Ward has made good decisions with the ball, even as the unit continues to work through uneven results. For a Titans passing attack trying to find some rhythm, the message is less about assigning blame and more about getting every piece around the quarterback to function better, from the receivers to the line to the timing of the whole operation. [Read more 🡒]