Now that the 2025 NFL Draft is in the rearview mirror, let’s direct our eyes way down the road.
The Tennessee Titans’ roster is loaded with new faces and new contributors heading into the 2025 NFL season. Most consequentially, the team drafted quarterback Cam Ward with the No. 1 pick, beginning a new era of Titans football.
Between draft picks, undrafted free agent signings and veteran additions made since the middle of March, it’s plausible that the Titans could carry upwards of 25 players on the active roster who weren’t Titans at the end of the 2024 season. That’s a lot of turnover, and a lot of it at some of the most important areas on the field.
Before rookie minicamp, OTAs and veteran minicamp begin, let’s take a look at what the Titans’ 53-man roster could look like, projecting ahead to the end of training camp in August.
Tennessee Titans projected 53-man roster: Post NFL draft editionQuarterback (3): Cam Ward, Will Levis, Brandon Allen
Until further notice, Levis is still around. Maybe he’s a trade candidate at the end of camp the way Malik Willis was a year ago. But it’d be irresponsible to not keep him as Ward’s backup until you can get value back for him.
Running back (3): Tony Pollard, Tyjae Spears, Kalel Mullings
The rookie sixth-round pick edges out Julius Chestnut for the third running back spot, but it’d hardly be a surprise if the Titans decided to carry four.
Wide receiver (7): Calvin Ridley, Tyler Lockett, Elic Ayomanor, Chimere Dike, Van Jefferson, Bryce Oliver, Xavier Restrepo
Three rookies and a second-year former UDFA don’t make for the most experienced group, especially when this scenario could mean the Titans parting ways with former first-round pick Treylon Burks before the season starts. But with Burks coming off injury, the Titans could very easily start him on the PUP list to carry someone like Restrepo, a soon-to-be-signed UDFA, or Oliver onto the roster to start the year.
Tight end (4): Chig Okonkwo, Josh Whyle, Gunnar Helm, Thomas Odukoya
Helm comes in as a rookie and challenges Okonkwo and Whyle for playing time. Odukoya sticks around as the blocking specialist, leaving David Martin-Robinson as the odd-man out.
Offensive tackle (4): Dan Moore Jr., JC Latham, Blake Hance, Brandon Crenshaw-Dickson
Moore and Latham step in as starters. Hance is the swing tackle with potential to play inside if needed. Crenshaw-Dickson, a UDFA out of Florida, has experience on the left and right in college and the size profile to fit in just right with offensive line coach Bill Callahan, edging out holdovers from the old regime like Jaelyn Duncan, John Ojukwu and Andrew Rupcich.
Guard/center (5): Lloyd Cushenberry III, Peter Skoronski, Kevin Zeitler, Jackson Slater, Sam Mustipher
Mustipher’s experience (43 career starts) makes him a tough cut as a backup center. Slater gets developmental reps primarily at guard in this scenario, as Cushenberry, Skoronski and Zeitler are the main bodies in the middle.
Defensive interior (5): Jeffery Simmons, T’Vondre Sweat, Sebastian Joseph-Day, Keondre Coburn, Cam Horsley
Horsley, a two-time All-ACC honoree and three-year starter at Boston College with a knack for run stopping and breaking up passes, joins Restrepo and Crenshaw-Dickson as UDFAs with chances to make the squad. The rest are returning stalwarts.
Inside linebacker (5): Cody Barton, Cedric Gray, James Williams, Otis Reese IV, David Gbenda
What a thin group. Gbenda, another UDFA, is probably a reach for need more than anything else. If there’s any position where it’d make sense for the Titans to add a veteran depth piece, it’s here.
Outside linebacker (5): Dre’Mont Jones, Arden Key, Lorenzo Carter, Oluwafemi Oladejo, Jaylen Harrell
A lot of new faces here, including the second-round pick Oladejo. Jones will have to be the big name in the group, with Key, Carter and Oladejo making up the bulk of the rotation.
Cornerback (5): L’Jarius Sneed, Jarvis Brownlee Jr., Roger McCreary, Darrell Baker, Marcus Harris
If there’s any draft pick who might have an uphill climb to make the roster, it’s Harris. But in this exercise he beats out Gabe Jeudy-Lally for the last cornerback/special teams specialist spot.
Safety (4): Amani Hooker, Xavier Woods, Kevin Winston Jr., Mike Brown
Maybe Julius Wood can squeeze his way onto the roster here. But it’s more likely that Brown sticks around for another year with Winston and Woods joining Hooker as the safeties who play the most.
Specialists (3): Johnny Hekker, Joey Slye, Morgan Cox
You gotta kick, punt and snap. Hekker replaces Ryan Stonehouse, Slye replaces Nick Folk and Cox returns.
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.