March 8, 2026, 4:18 a.m. ET
With the official start of free agency just days away, Tennessee Titans fans have started to focus on one of the biggest question marks that must be addressed: who will be the Titans‘ center in 2026?
The Titans released veteran Lloyd Cushenberry, and top backup Corey Levin is an unrestricted free agent, leaving that critical spot open, and the free agent market gets thinner by the minute. On Saturday, the Buffalo Bills brought back Conner McGovern, taking another quality name off the market.
But what if the general manager, Mike Borgonzi, already has a plan in place with second-year lineman Jackson Slater, and the Titans don’t intend to break the bank on an overpriced veteran? This might not be that far out of the realm of possibility.
Slater played well in his limited exposure in 2025 and held up well against one of the top defensive fronts in the game in the season finale against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Yes, that was at guard, but Slater cross-trained between both center and guard all season, and many at the Senior Bowl during the pre-draft process believed he was destined to be a center in the NFL.
Slater himself mentioned a move to center when being interviewed by a Seattle Seahawks reporter during the process, stating, “I think center will be my best position going forward, a mix of desirable measurements and football IQ, I think it’s a place I’ll thrive.” And many scouts believed the same thing.
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With a light free agent market and possibly a weaker draft class at the center position, a player like Slater might be the answer, with a veteran like Levin or the New Orleans Saints’ Luke Fortner brought in for competition.
This might not be a popular take, but it is closer to reality than dropping a projected $25 million on Tyler Linderbaum, when the front office already has to entertain an extension for Peter Skoronski this offseason.