The Tennessee Titans (1-1) finished off their preseason road trip on a high note, defeating the Atlanta Falcons 23-20 on Friday night. Cam Ward and the starters only played three series, and failed to score, but the defense held strong, putting the Titans up early. 

With many young players seeing extended time, this was a chance for players to step up and make a case for themselves. While a couple took advantage, many were underwhelming and left more questions than answers. The Titans will now return to Nashville to start preparing for their preseason finale. 

How did this game impact the roster? Here’s a look at the Titans Wire post-preseason Week 2 53-man roster projection.  

Quarterbacks (2)

Starter: Cam Ward

Reserves: Brandon Allen

Ward was uneven against the Falcons, but is entrenched as the starter. Allen struggled early, but bounced back and had a solid outing, connecting with Gunnar Helm for a touchdown and looking in control of the offense. Trevor Siemian played down the stretch and looked like a veteran. 

Running backs (4)

Starter: Tony Pollard

Reserves: Tyjae Spears, Kalel Mullings, Julius Chestnut

Although Jordan Mims looked solid in the second half of action, the running back group stays the same for this week. If Mims can stack another solid outing, he could push Chestnut for the final running back spot.  

Wide Receivers (6)

Starters: Calvin Ridley, Tyler Lockett, Elic Ayomanor

Reserves: James Proche II, Bryce Oliver, Chimere Dike 

James Proche in Van Jefferson out. Proche looked good on offense and made some plays, plus he adds an element as a return specialist. Jefferson had a crucial drop on the first drive and never seemed to recover. With Ayomanor flashing starter potential, keeping Jefferson, who has limited special teams value, doesn’t add up. 

Tight ends (3)

Starter: Chig Okonkwo

Reserves: Gunnar Helm, David Martin-Robinson, 

Helm looks the part and may be pushing Okonkwo for playing time early in the season. Worst case, the Titans use a lot of 12-personnel to take advantage of their skill sets. No change from last week. 

Offensive linemen (9)

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

Reserves: Blake Hance, Jackson Slater, Corey Levin, Jaelyn Duncan

Like many positions on the roster, these nine stay the same. There could be some jockeying for the final tackle spot, but for the moment, Duncan is safe.  

Defensive line (5)

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

Reserves: James Lynch, Timmy Horne

This one also stays the same, after Lynch and Horne logged quite a few snaps. Cam Horsley and Joe Gaziano both made some plays and could work their way into contention, but they will have to have a big week against the Minnesota Vikings to make it happen. 

Outside linebackers (5)

Starters: Arden Key, Dre’Mont Jones

Reserves: Oluwafemi Oladejo, Jihad Ward, Ali Gaye

Femi Oladejo looked better in his second game, although there are still some areas that he needs to clean up. With Jaylen Harrell sidelined with an injury, Gaye took advantage and made some plays.

Inside linebacker (4)

Starters: Cody Barton, James Williams

Reserves: Cedric Grey, Brian Asamoah

Cedric Gray was everywhere tonight and made plays all over the field. The combination of Gray and Williams looked fast and dynamic when they were on the field. Behind them and Cody Barton, it is a jumbled mess, and there may not be a real answer until the end of camp. The Titans just claimed Brian Asamoah off waivers, and he brings valuable special teams experience to the team, snagging one of the final roster spots. 

Cornerback (6)

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

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

With Sneed’s health still a giant question mark and him remaining on the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list, the Titans will likely have to keep an extra cornerback. While no one has really stood out, rookie Jermari Harris has flashed a few times in the two preseason games. Tennessee may look outside the organization, but if they don’t, Harris has a shot. 

Safety (5)

Starters: Amani Hooker, Xavier Woods

Reserves: Kevin Winston Jr., Quandre Diggs, Kendall Brooks

Brooks and Mike Brown are battling it out for this final roster spot at safety, and with Brooks pulling in a pick 6 early, he gets the nod this week. The battle is extremely fluid, and special teams work will likely be the deciding factor. 

Special teams (3)

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

The three specialists have no competition in camp and are locked in unless there is an injury or implosion. The Titans did visit with some kickers, but did not sign any to add competition for Slye. That could change this week after Slye missed an extra point early. Â