Yes, the NFL is essentially shut down for its summer break. No, that doesn’t mean the Tennessee Titans can’t use the next month or so to enrich the roster.
The Titans completed OTAs and mandatory minicamp, and now have to wait until July 23 before training camp practices can start. Coming out of a busy offseason that saw the Titans hire a new GM, rebuild around No. 1 draft pick Cam Ward at quarterback and revamp position groups like the wide receiver corps and the offensive line, the 2025 Titans theoretically have a stronger roster than the 2024 squad did, but there are still some obvious holes.
As the offseason dwindles to an end, here are four areas the Titans still need to improve in, and some potential solutions for those holes.
Cornerback
This might not feel like the biggest problem area on the Titans’ roster, but following minicamp, it just might be. Questions abound regarding L’Jarius Sneed’s status, both on the field and off. And in a world where Sneed isn’t available come September, the Titans desperately need another veteran in the room, maybe two, to stabilize a secondary that’s taught to play aggressively but also must play sticky enough to make up for a lack of true top-end pass rushers.
The free agent cornerback market is fairly robust. Veterans like Stephon Gilmore, Rasul Douglas, James Bradberry, Kendall Fuller, Mike Hilton and Arthur Maulet are available, as well as a long list of less-experienced players who could, at the very least, contribute on special teams. Adding at least one contributor of this caliber to this room is a must for the Titans to field the kind of defense they want to.
Inside linebacker
The Titans’ most obvious weakness is a lack of proven talent next to Cody Barton as the second inside linebacker. The thing that’s important to mention, though, is the Titans clearly know this. That’s why they went out and waiver claimed three players at the position before OTAs. They could still go out and sign someone like Kyzir White, Neville Hewitt or Duke Riley to play the spot, but clearly the front office valued the wire pickups more.
If we’re using this logic, there’s probably not an inside linebacker available who the Titans value enough to make a move. The best bet for finding help at this position is waiting until training camp starts and other teams start to see injuries or weaknesses develop at other positions, allowing for the Titans to make a player-for-player trade to fill their own need.
Offensive tackle
Dan Moore Jr., and JC Latham are settled at left and right tackle. The depth behind them is questionable. Blake Hance is the likeliest swing option, but he hasn’t played tackle regularly since 2021. Jaelyn Duncan and John Ojukwu are still around, but sticking with them hardly equates to getting better.
There are some veteran options on the market like Germain Ifedi, Isaiah Wynn or Andrus Peat. There are also guys like Geron Christian and Chris Hubbard who’ve spent time with the Titans before. But the real question here is whether the Titans prefer gambling on an older, more injury-prone swing tackle with experience or a younger one who lacks experience but is likelier to be available late in the season.
Edge rusher
Even after adding Dre’Mont Jones, Lorenzo Carter and Oluwafemi Oladejo this offseason, the depth off the edge is a little suspect. A seasoned pass rush specialist who can be deployed situationally on third downs could really bring this room together. And luckily, there are players on the market who could fit this mold, most notably Matthew Judon, Carl Lawson and Preston Smith.
If the plan is to continue building the room around bigger presences, the Titans could also target guys like Za’Darius Smith, Tanoh Kpassagnon and former Titan Demarcus Walker.
Nick Suss is the Titans beat writer for The Tennessean. Contact Nick at nsuss@gannett.com. Follow Nick on X, the platform formerly called Twitter, @nicksuss.