The job is simple.

“We know we have the No. 1 pick and there’s a sense of awareness that we’ve got to protect the quarterback,” Tennessee Titans right tackle JC Latham said on Sept. 1, six days ahead of the Titans’ season opener in Denver. “So to really say, ‘Hey, this young guy’s coming in. We’ve got to make sure we give him the best chance to succeed.’”

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Rookie quarterback Cam Ward is the Titans‘ future. He’s the X-factor. His success is the franchise’s success. And Ward’s success is fairly inextricable from the success of the five blockers in front of him, so consider the investments the Titans have poured into the offensive line: up to $82 million on left tackle Dan Moore Jr., a first-round pick on left guard Peter Skoronski, up to $50 million on center Lloyd Cushenberry III, up to $9 million for one year of right guard Kevin Zeitler and a first-round pick on Latham.

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All this to fix an offensive line that’s ranked at or near the bottom of the NFL in pressure rate allowed, sack rate allowed and rushing yards before contact three years running. All this to make sure Ward has time to throw.

So, naturally, the Titans will open the 2025 season against the Denver Broncos, who finished 2024 first in the NFL in sacks and quarterback hits and second in pressure percentage.

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“We’re going to go face probably one of the premier fronts in football and we’re going to go find out,” Titans coach Brian Callahan said. “These guys are really, really good. They’re good against the run. They rush the passer as good as anybody. So we’ve got a real stiff test and we’re going to find out. But I feel good about where we’re at. I think a lot of it’s due to the work put in. We’re a more talented group up front from positions 1-5. We’re looking forward to the test. It’s going to be exciting.”

Moore, the Titans’ most prominent non-Ward offseason acquisition for 2025, is the symbol of this rebuild. He was credited with allowing the most sacks in the NFL last season, but the Titans believed in him enough to bump Latham to the right side and install Moore on Ward’s blindside. Early returns have been positive, with Moore playing well throughout training camp and in the Titans’ three preseason games.

None of that compares to the test ahead, though. Moore says he’ll gauge progress up front by judging areas where attrition is most notable, pointing out opportunities to close out games with long drives late in the fourth quarter and opportunities to score in end-of-half or end-of-game two-minute situations. He wants to see penalty rates drop, communication continue to grow and consistency across the unit. If the line plays well in these “crunch time” scenarios, he’ll mark it down as a sign of growth.

Cushenberry, who’s feeling good in his journey back from an Achilles injury sustained in November, likes the mix of youth and experience across the front. He feels good about how he and Ward are communicating and believes the line is in position to stay on the same page.

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All indications seem positive. But as Callahan put it, the Titans are a team in “prove-it mode.” Anything and everything the Titans feel good about doesn’t matter until the squad puts it on tape in a game that counts. And the Titans’ first game that counts features matchups against linebacker Nik Bonitto (13.5 sacks, 24 QB hits in 2024), linebacker Jonathon Cooper (10.5 sacks, 20 QB hits in 2024) and Zach Allen (8.5 sacks, 40 QB hits in 2024).

“It’s a good test for us, but why not? I think we’re a good group,” Moore said. “It’s a good chance for us to go on the road and see what we’re about. Just build upon our performance.”

Nick Suss is the Titans beat writer for The Tennessean. Contact Nick at  nsuss@gannett.com. Follow Nick on X @nicksuss. Subscribe to the Talkin’ Titans newsletter for updates sent directly to your inbox.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Is the Titans’ O-line fixed? Here’s how players say they’ll figure out