Titans Questions
Titans Questions
With Week 1 nearly here, the Tennessee Titans questions surrounding the team are becoming clearer. Can the offensive line protect quarterback Cam Ward? Who will emerge as his go-to weapon? And can a revamped secondary hold up?
3 Biggest Titans Questions Before Week 1
Can the Offensive Line Protect Cam Ward?
The Titans have enough talent on the offensive line to give Ward a chance, but unanswered questions remain, and protecting their young quarterback could be one of the team’s biggest challenges in 2026. Peter Skoronski is the anchor of this offensive line and that’s one thing we know for sure. Last season, Skoronski posted an 84.5 pass-blocking grade from PFF, the best on the team. JC Latham, who shifted over to right tackle last season after spending his rookie season on the left, showed encouraging improvement as the 2025 season progressed.
The rest of the group brings uncertainty. Rookie Fernando Carmona Jr had an excellent camp and preseason, winning the right guard job. Preseason is preseason, but the hope is that his impressive play carries over into the games that count. At left tackle, Dan Moore Jr was signed before the 2025 season, but wound up allowing 48 total pressures, third most among offensive linemen last year.
Austin Schlottmann takes over the starting center role, another import from the New York Giants, who played well in four starts last season. Promising rookie Pat Coogan sits behind him on the depth chart but looks ready to step in if the moment arises. Coogan brings plenty of versatility after starting 42 games at Indiana, including 29 at center and 13 at left guard.
For the Titans, the question isn’t whether the offensive line needs to be perfect. It simply needs to give Ward enough time to make the plays that convinced Tennessee to make him the No. 1 overall pick.
Who Will Emerge as Cam Ward’s Go-To Weapon?
Last year’s top receiver, tight end Chig Okonkwo, has moved on to Washington. In the offseason, the Titans reworked their receiver room with hopes of giving Ward some more weapons to choose from. So who will emerge from this group as Ward’s go-to guy?
Wan’Dale Robinson comes over from the Giants after notching his first 1,000-yard season. Primarily used as a slot receiver, he could be targeted frequently on third downs to move the chains. Already being familiar with Brian Daboll’s offense should bode well for Robinson getting off to a quick start.
Veteran receiver Calvin Ridley returns for his third season in Tennessee, after losing more than half of the 2025 season to injury. Ridley, now 31 years old, is the de facto No. 1 receiver, having posted three 1,000-yard seasons in his career. The question is whether he can stay healthy for the full season, and whether the young guys will nip at his heels for targets.
Carnell Tate enters the fray as the Titans’ fourth overall pick in this year’s NFL draft. Despite a catchless preseason, reports out of camp and scrimmages had Tate looking strong. Immediately a starter at the receiver position, how quickly can Tate and Ward develop a connection and establish themselves as one of the league’s most promising young quarterback-receiver duos?
Finally, Elic Ayomanor returns for his second season, having posted 41 catches for 515 yards and four touchdowns on 89 targets in his rookie season. Ayomanor has a leg up on Robinson, Ridley and Tate in that he’s played the most games alongside Ward so far. Looking to build upon a solid rookie year, could Ayomanor emerge as a top target for Ward this year?
Can the Secondary Hold Up?
The Titans spent some time in the offseason re-working this group as well, a necessity after only having six interceptions in 2025, second-lowest in the NFL thanks to the New York Jets posting a bagel on picks. Alontae Taylor is on board after four seasons with the New Orleans Saints. Taylor has produced over 80 tackles in each of the last two years, and has deflected 10 or more passes in every season he’s played.
The Titans don’t necessarily need Taylor to become a shutdown corner. They need him to be the reliable veteran presence that allows the rest of their young secondary to develop.
Cor’Dale Flott had a rough preseason, but there’s still reason to have hope. Flott enters 2026 with something to prove, and his 2025 numbers suggest he is capable of handling the responsibility. He allowed completions on just 52.2 percent of passes thrown his way last season and surrendered a 73.3 passer rating, while breaking up eight passes and intercepting another.
Second-year safety Kevin Winston Jr has shown some bright spots, but it’s a tale of two stories for him on defense. His PFF run-defense grade of 89.4 ranked first at the position. Pass coverage was a different story. Winston’s 44.5 coverage grade ranked 90th out of 98 qualified safeties according to PFF. He allowed 19 receptions on 24 targets, including three touchdowns, and opposing quarterbacks had a 158.3 passer rating when targeting him.
It’s a small sample size, but those numbers aren’t encouraging. The Titans will need Winston to improve in that area if this secondary is going to become a reliable unit.
The Last Word
Week 1 is nearly upon us, and Robert Saleh and his staff now have the task of answering these questions as they attempt to bring the Titans back to prominence. The opportunity is there, and now is the time for several Titans to take the next step and have this team playing meaningful games in December again.
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Main Photo Courtesy of Steve Roberts – Imagn Images