The Tennessee Titans are counting down the final days before reporting to training camp on Tuesday, July 22. The first official practice will be held the following day, Wednesday, July 23, and the competition can begin. 

Once in camp, players will battle it out until cutdown day, when the Titans will trim their roster from 90 to 53 before their Week 1 match up with the Denver Broncos. Tennessee has an interesting roster with a solid mix of veterans and youth, and while many jobs are locked up, there will be plenty of competition on every unit. 

Here’s a look at the pre-training camp 53-man roster projection from Titans Wire.

Quarterbacks (2)

Starter: Cam Ward

Reserves: Will Levis 

While the Titans’ coaching staff and front office have discussed a quarterback competition between Ward and Levis, it doesn’t feel that way. Tennessee selected Ward to be the face of the franchise, and he has done nothing but exceed expectations during the offseason. He should start Week 1. Levis has improved and could eventually be traded, but if he remains in Nashville, he will stick on the roster. Brandon Allen will make the team if Levis is traded, but if not, he will transition to the practice squad and serve as a steadying influence in the young quarterback room.

Running backs (3)

Starter: Tony Pollard

Reserves: Tyjae Spears, Kalel Mullings

The stable of running backs is much more defined than the quarterback room. Pollard is the leader in the clubhouse, although he could see Spears cut into the load-share, with head coach Brian Callahan attempting to keep both backs fresh throughout the season. The battle between Mullings and Julius Chestnut will be a fun one to watch, but in the end, the Titans selected Mullings to add a bruising change of pace to their backfield, and he wins out. 

Wide Receivers (7)

Starters: Calvin Ridley, Tyler Lockett, Elic Ayomanor

Reserves: Treylon Burks, Chimere Dike, Bryce Oliver, Xavier Restrepo

Tennessee completely overhauled the unit outside of Calvin Ridley, and it shows. Ridley should excel with Ward at the helm and is in line for a huge season. The Titans brought in Lockett, who should add veteran leadership to the young receiver group and improve play in the slot. Ayomanor starts as a rookie and develops into a productive complement to Ridley on the outside. Burks, Dike, Oliver, and Restrepo should see some playing time and potentially make an impact. Burks will surprise in camp, coming off his knee injury, and beat out Jefferson for the final spot. The wide receiver battles during training camp should be some of the most competitive, and this early projection could easily change. 

Tight ends (4)

Starter: Chig Okonkwo

Reserves: Gunnar Helm, David Martin-Robinson, Thomas Odukoya

Last season, Tennessee opened the season with five tight ends on the roster, but I don’t see that happening again. Okonkwo started to break out down the stretch in 2024 and should build on that this season with improved quarterback play. The Titans drafted Helm in the fourth round to push Okonkwo. He possesses the skill set to make an immediate impact as a rookie and outperform his draft position. Martin-Robinson is a solid blocker and Odukoya a standout special teamer, which gives them a slight edge over Josh Whyle for the final spot. 

Offensive linemen (9)

Starters: Dan Moore Jr., Peter Skoronski, Lloyd Cushenberry, Kevin Zeitler, JC Latham

Reserves: Blake Hance, Jackson Slater, Corey Levin, Brandon Crenshaw-Dickson

While the Titans’ starters are rather clear-cut, the battle for the depth positions is wide open. Hance, Slater, and Levin all have the inside track and should stick. Behind them, there are multiple battles to be won with solid performances in camp. Crenshaw-Dickson was a priority undrafted rookie with some upside. This is definitely an area that could see a late roster addition, and it wouldn’t be surprising to see Tennessee add a veteran to the mix. 

Defensive line (5)

Starters: Jeffery Simmons, T’Vondre Sweat, Sebastian Joseph-Day

Reserves: James Lynch, Keondre Coburn

Just like the offensive line, the starters along the defensive front are locked in. Simmons, Sweat, and Joseph-Day should be better in their second season together and motivated to anchor the Titans’ front. Behind them, there will be a tremendous battle for snaps with multiple players fighting it out for depth roles. Lynch and Coburn will win out because of their experience within the system, but these spots are definitely up for grabs. 

Outside linebackers (5)

Starters: Arden Key, Dre’Mont Jones

Reserves: Oluwafemi Oladejo, Jaylen Harrell, Lorenzo Carter

Key is the only entrenched starter on the edge after the Titans overhauled the unit during the offseason. Jones has the inside track to start opposite Key, but will see a significant push from second-rounder Femi Oladejo once he reports to camp. Currently, Oladejo is in limbo, like most of the second-round picks, as teams attempt to navigate a new contract structure following the Houston Texans and Cleveland Browns‘ decision to fully guarantee their picks’ contracts. Harrell and Carter will be battling it out for depth positions and could be on the bubble. 

Inside linebacker (5)

Starters: Cody Barton, James Williams

Reserves: Otis Reese IV, Cedric Grey, Anfernee Orji

As was the case with the edge position, the inside linebacker group will look different in 2025, with only one player entrenched as a starter heading into camp: Cody Barton. Barton was brought in from Denver to anchor the rebuilt unit, and the battle for the spot next to him is wide open. After OTAs and minicamp, it appears Reese has a slight edge to start, but after a strong camp, the more athletic Williams emerged as the winner. Reese, Grey, and Orji make the final 53 in rotational roles, with Orji ticketed to be a special teams standout. 

Cornerback (6)

Starters: L’Jarius Sneed, Jarvis Brownlee Jr., Roger McCreary

Reserves: Marcus Harris, Darrell Baker Jr., Jermari Harris

The biggest question with the starters heading into camp is the health of Sneed. The veteran cornerback was a massive disappointment in 2024, and his return could go a long way in improving the defense. Brownlee flashed enough potential as a rookie to lock him into the starting lineup, and McCreary is a steady slot corner. Behind them, there will be some solid competition for the final spots. Baker is experienced on the defense, which gives him an inside track, but some young corners will push him. The Titans drafted Marcus Harris, a feisty playmaker, and Jermari Harris was a camp standout, both earning their way onto the roster. 

Safety (4)

Starters: Amani Hooker, Xavier Woods

Reserves: Kevin Winston Jr., Mike Brown

Hooker is the leader of this group and is coming off another productive season. The Titans added Woods in the offseason to be a veteran presence. He could be pushed early by rookie Kevin Winston. Winston’s health is the biggest concern after missing most of the season after tearing his ACL, but if healthy, he brings some elite skills to the back end and could make an impact. Brown returns to a reserve role with special-teams value. 

Special teams (3)

Starters: Joey Slye (K), Johnny Hekker (P), Morgan Cox (LS)

Tennessee completely retooled its specialists during the offseason and brought in Slye and Hekker. Slye has the most to prove, replacing the consistency the Titans enjoyed with Nick Folk. He has a stronger leg, but has been erratic. Hekker is a consistent threat and will completely change the dynamics of the kicking game under new coordinator John Fassel.Â