Do the Titans have a chance to go from worst to first?

[ASFN Admin]

For the most part, the NFL is in a quiet place, with fans counting down the days until training camp begins. For fans of the Tennessee Titans, there is also hope that general manager Mike Borgonzi will lock up guard Peter Skoronski on a long-term extension.

Although that hasn’t happened yet, there is a chance a deal gets done before the start of camp. Like locking up Jeffery Simmons, this would be another move that could help push the Titans back into contention. Kevin Patra of NFL.com looked at their chances of that happening sooner rather than later and gives the team a chance to actually go from worst to first in 2026.

Rank 4 - Tennessee Titans - AFC South - 2025 record: 3-14

The arrival of coach Robert Saleh and offensive coordinator Brian Daboll brings legitimacy to a Titans squad that has lived in the AFC South cellar for the past three seasons.

Tennessee spent the offseason acquiring veterans familiar with the coaching staff, from DL John Franklin-Myers and DE Jermaine Johnson II on defense to WR Wan’Dale Robinson and C Austin Schlottmann on offense. The familiarity, particularly on defense, should help the Titans immediately improve. We know Saleh can coach defense. His scheme and the personnel are obvious upgrades for a unit that ranked 28th in points allowed last year. With star DT Jeffery Simmons still dominating, the Titans could be the most improved D in the NFL.

The key to Tennessee finally finding success will be Cam Ward. The quarterback showed flashes as a rookie last season, but was wholly inconsistent. Robinson and first-round pick Carnell Tate should provide significantly better weaponry than Ward was given in Year 1. Daboll has proved he can develop young quarterbacks. If Ward makes a leap in 2026, the Titans have a shot to compete with their division rivals.

Patra hits the nail on the head with Robert Saleh and his defensive scheme. Everywhere he has been, the defense has improved, and with the new faces added in the offseason to join Jeffery Simmons and Cedric Gray, the unit is poised to break out in 2026. But even with that improvement, the offense must take a step forward.

Borgonzi also added some talent to the offense in an attempt to build around Cam Ward, but some questions remain. The Titans have some holes to fill along the offensive line, and will only go as far as that unit allows, even with some upgraded weapons.

This article originally appeared on Titans Wire: Do the Titans have a chance to go from worst to first?

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