The entire NFL is in Phoenix for the annual Owners Meetings. Some good nuggets blessed the timeline from Tennessee Titans general manager Mike Borgonzi on Monday evening. Head coach Robert Saleh will speak on Tuesday afternoon.
The biggest nugget from Borgonzi’s session saw him indicate there will be competition at right guard and center. Those two offensive line spots are major weaknesses for the Titans right now. They released Cushenberry at center, and have not re-signed 2025 right guard starter Kevin Zeitler.
“I wouldn’t rule it out,” Borgonzi told Paul Kuharsky when asked about possibly starting two rookies at guard/center this coming season. “I think there are some good options, interior-wise in the draft,” Borgonzi added. “I think it’s pretty strong. …Typically, those guys are Day Two and Day Three, a lot of those guys. There is some value in there in this draft.”
That does not sound ideal. The Titans are tasked with building around (and protecting) sophomore quarterback Cam Ward. Major holes at guard/center and discussing the possibility of starting two rookies isn’t the way to successfully achieve that.
The Titans signed veteran backup Austin Schlottmann at center and Cordell Volson at guard. Neither projects as an exciting or high-upside starter. As currently constructed, they’ll compete with Jackson Slater for starting jobs. The Titans will obviously draft at least one offensive lineman, possibly multiple, according to Borgonzi’s comments.
Meanwhile Zeitler remains available in free agency. It’d be ideal if the Titans can draft a long-term replacement/solution for the aging right guard, but nothing is more ideal than adequately protecting Ward in 2026. Zeitler did that effectively at a high level in 2025. Re-signing him would help calm some of the concern surrounding the Titans’ offensive line right now.
Borgonzi has largely nailed this offseason, but it could all come undone by the seemingly dangerous game he’s playing with the offensive line and Ward’s protection.