Just two seasons removed from playing safety at the University of Miami, James Williams may turn out to be the answer to the Titans’ biggest linebacker question.

When the team parted ways with the likes of Kenneth Murray, Jerome Baker, Jack Gibbens and Luke Gifford following the 2024 season, it was clear that a much-needed overhaul was beginning at inside linebacker.

The headline addition since then has been Cody Barton, a six-year veteran who’s racked up more than 100 tackles in each of his past three seasons. He’s flashed strong coverage skills, intercepting quarterback Cam Ward twice during the offseason and once again in training camp.

The competition for the starting spot next to Barton remains an open competition, one featuring Cedric Gray, Otis Reese IV, Anfernee Orji and Curtis Jacobs.

But Williams — despite his relative inexperience at the position — appears to have a leg up on his peers so far.

It’s a testament to how much Williams has grown and learned since the Titans chose him in the seventh round (No. 243 overall) of the 2024 draft, knowing he wanted to switch positions going into the NFL.

“He’s done a really nice job,” Titans coach Brian Callahan said.

“He’s matured from his first year to his second. He’s starting to understand at the linebacker position, with your eyes and your reads and how quickly you have to diagnose and react … those things have improved leaps and bounds from his first year to his second year. Combine that kind of mental improvement with his maturity, and he’s put himself in a really nice position.”

In part because of injuries, and in part because of increased trust, the Titans turned to Williams late in the 2024 season.

The 6-4, 232-pound Miami native didn’t play a single defensive snap in Tennessee’s first 13 games. But he recorded 111 snaps in the last four contests, producing eight tackles against Cincinnati, six against Indianapolis and six against Houston.

What was the biggest takeaway from his rookie season?

“Patience,” Williams said. “Patience is the key on and off the field. Because in the box, a lot of things happen fast. So you’ve got to be patient, trust your eyes, trust what you see and use your instincts. But off the field, I’d say [patience] helped me progress as a man, to understand my emotions—controlling them, in each of the situations I go into each day.”

Williams said he realized how much he’d learned about making the transition from safety to linebacker last year when he started offseason work in 2025.

“In OTAs, I surprised myself, the was I was looking on film,” Williams said. “So I feel like it’s more of a repetition thing. Last year, I got my reps in and started to understand the reps. This year, it’s understanding the reps and executing. So now it’s just me focusing on little things, the details.”

It’s helped Williams to learn from Barton, who began his college career at Utah as a safety before switching to linebacker.

The 28-year-old Barton said he likes Williams’ size and athleticism, noting also that Williams seems to make daily improvement in categories like footwork and eye discipline.

“Being a [former defensive back] helps in the pass game obviously, with the routes and stuff,” Barton said. “But in the box, run-game wise, everything happens quick. The keys happen a lot faster. So your recognition and diagnosis of things that happen is a lot faster, versus standing back 10 to 12 [yards].

“But he’s doing good. He’s growing and learning, and I’m excited to see where he takes it this whole camp.”

Williams said he was excited about the opportunity created at inside linebacker with the departure of so many Titans following the 2024 season.

It’s now up to him to take advantage of that chance.

“I feel like I’ve developed myself,” Williams said. “I took the time and invested myself this offseason, put the right things in my body and my mind to [help me] perform how I do. For people to see the difference, I’ve got to continue to do that.”