The Tennessee Titans have a rare advantage inside the top four: they aren’t forced to take a quarterback. That freedom matters. With premium cap space, a new coaching staff, and a roster that needs help at wide receiver, cornerback, and the interior line, Tennessee is positioned to let the board come to them — and still land a cornerstone.
In this Titans edition, we break down: roster holes, cap-driven cut candidates, how Tennessee should allocate free-agent spending vs. draft picks, and where the biggest fantasy football upside could emerge.
Salary cap contract information provided by Spotrac.
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Pick 4: Tennessee Titans
Team Needs: OG, WR, RB, DT, EDGE, LB
2026 Free Agent Key Losses:
TE Chig Okonkwo, G Kevin Zeitler, EDGE Arden Key, DT Sebastian Joseph, CB Darrell Baker Jr., CB L’Jarius Sneed, C Lloyd Cushenberry
2026 Free Agents Losses:
- QB: Brandon Allen
- RB: Julius Chestnut
- WR: Van Jefferson, James Proche, Bryce Oliver (ERFA)
- OL: G Blake Hance, C Corey Levin, LT Olisaemeka Udoh, G Garrett Dellinger (ERFA)
- EDGE: Anfernee Orji (ERFA)
- DL: Jihad Ward, James Lynch, C.J. Ravenell (ERFA)
- LB: Joe Bachie
- CB: Jalyn Armour-Davis, Kemon Hall (RFA), Kaiir Elam
- S: Mike Brown (RFA)
- ST: Johnny Hekker
2027 Free Agents:
- QB: Will Levis
- RB: Tony Pollard, Tyjae Spears
- WR: Mason Kinsey
- TE: David Martin-Robinson (RFA), Kylen Granson
- OL: G Peter Skoronski (CLUB), OG Cordell Volson, C Trey Hill, RT Brandon Crenshaw-Dickson (ERFA)
- EDGE: Jermaine Johnson, Solomon Thomas
- DL: Timothy Horne (RFA), Cam Horsley (ERFA)
- LB: Amari Burney
- S: Tony Adams, Sanoussi Kane (ERFA), Kendell Brooks (RFA), Erick Hallett (ERFA), Micah Robinson (ERFA)
- ST: Joey Slye
Works in the Titans’ favor that they are the only team picking inside the top-4 without a dire need at QB. That should allow them to draft a top 3 player in this class.
Getting Cam Ward more weapons is a MUST. Hard to justify the Titans not coming away with one of the draft’s top WRs in this year’s class (or multiple shots in Rounds 2+3). Or perhaps a highly-coveted running back such as Notre Dame’s Jeremiyah Love. Love is the favorite to be the No. 4 overall pick.
More weapons, Brian Daboll stepping in as the Titans’ new OC; don’t have to squint to see how Ward is poised for a massive Year 2 leap.
I forecasted WR Wan’Dale Robinson re-joining forces with Daboll in Nashville. Swish.
Check out the full read on the Titans signing the former Giants’ slot receiver.
Although I should acknowledge that Chimere Dike seems to be in the team’s plans for 2026. Last year, he set the record for the most all-purpose yards by a rookie (2,427 yards, made the Pro Bowl). Took advantage of his opportunities.
New HC Robert Saleh joins second-year GM Mike Borgonzi in Tennessee with more salary cap space than they know what to do with (most in the NFL). And boy, they did work that salary cap.
Defensively, the team ranked dead last in yards per pass attempt faced (8.2) in 2025. But given how much Saleh’s presence boosts the performance of his defense, I wouldn’t be surprised if the Titans spend more on offense than defense in both FA and the draft. However, that was hardly the case.
That being said, hard to say no to a defensive-minded HC that wants to build his defense with a premier edge rusher. Somebody to pair with Jeffery Simmons. Would imagine any former Jets/49ers defensive linemen that played under Saleh might take their talents to Nashville during the FA period.
Case in point….Jermaine Johnson is now a Titan after a trade with the Jets (sent NT T’Vondre Sweat). Reunites with Saleh, who was HC when he got drafted in New York.
And building out Gang Green South didn’t stop there. They also traded for Solomon Thomas and signed DE John Franklin-Myers.
The Titans also signed DT Jordan Elliott.
These moves were necessary given that three of the five top pass rushers from last season were impending FAs across the defensive line.
CB is probably the biggest need – and that’s where Saleh’s defense can be exposed the most by poor personnel. L’Jarius Sneed has been a mega bust since he signed with TEN two years ago. He was released. CB Jalyn Armour-Davis remains a free agent.
They signed a trio of CBs to completely revamp the secondary. Joshua Williams, Alontae Taylor, and Cordale Flott. Defense was completely flipped on its head from last season, with potentially six new defensive starters brought in.
Calvin Ridley was rumored not to make this final roster. The Titans can save $13.43 million in cap space. And let’s not forget that Ridley broke his fibula in 2025, which is no easy injury to rebound from.
It’s a new HC and new OC coming in (worth noting that Brian Daboll coached Ridley at Alabama in 2017), so if they cut him… this certainly says something about Ridley’s remaining prospects in the NFL. So the fact that Ridley restructured his contract to remain with the Titans is “not” nothing. Obviously, anything he provides is probably just gravy.
The team being connected with Love and other RBs makes sense…as Pollard/Spears both entering the final years of their deals. The Titans can save over $7 million in cap space by cutting Pollard. He will be 29 years old just after the 2026 NFL Draft, which certainly puts him on the wrong side of the age cliff.
They also need another guard to replace the 36-year-old Kevin Zeitler. Center Lloyd Cushenberry was released.
IOL between G/center. The Titans signed center Austin Schlottman (also another former Giant) to a 2-year deal and OG Cordell Volson to a one-year deal. Volson might not be a true answer at guard, so it’s still an area to add in the NFL Draft.
And let’s not forget who Saleh coached in San Fran – Fred Warner. And his popular comp, Sonny Styles, might be available as the 4th overall selection.
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