After a frantic offseason of big-money signings and high-stakes drafting, Tennessee aims to escape the AFC basement. See how the new-look roster impacts their standing in league-wide rankings.
The Tennessee Titans are trying to go from cellar dweller to playoff contender under head coach Robert Saleh and General Manager Mike Borgonzi.
Let's start with free agency.
After a 3-14 season, Borgonzi knew changes needed to be made. He improved both sides of the ball with the Titans' league-leading cap space.
Wan'Dale Robinson, John Franklin-Myers, Alontae Taylor, and Cor'Dale Flott were the biggest acquisitions from a financial standpoint, and the Titans are hoping they'll have an immediate impact.
It's hard to find a player the team brought in who isn't tied to either Borgonzi, Saleh, or offensive coordinator Brian Daboll.
Then came the 2026 NFL Draft.
Tennessee chose Ohio State receiver Carnell Tate, Auburn edge rusher Keldric Faulk, Texas linebacker Anthony Hill Jr., Arkansas guard Fernando Carmona, Penn State running back Nicholas Singleton, Baylor defensive tackle Jackie Marshall, Indiana center Pat Coogan and Oklahoma tight end Jaren Kanak.
Players like Tate and Faulk are expected to compete for starting spots right away. Hill has the chance to beat Cody Barton for the starting middle linebacker spot.
Not every player Tennessee drafted is expected to start as a rookie, but Borgonzi stated at his post-draft press conference that he believes Carmona and Coogan could challenge for starting roles.
We're still a couple of months away from training camp and the start of the 2026 season as a whole, but ESPN released some early power rankings before Saleh's team takes its first snap.
The Titans came in at No. 27. The Las Vegas Raiders, Arizona Cardinals, Cleveland Browns, New York Jets and Miami Dolphins were behind the Titans.
The team's most improved position was considered to be wide receiver and Titans insider Turron Davenport weighed in.
"The Titans improved their wide receiver room in the draft and free agency," Davenport said. "Adding Wan'Dale Robinson from the Giants gave them a legitimate option in the slot who should move the chains (40 of his 92 receptions resulted in first downs last season). Selecting Carnell Tate at No. 4 in the draft added a player who caught five touchdown passes of 40-plus yards as a junior at Ohio State. Tennessee posted only three passing plays of 40-plus yards last season."
The ranking is pretty fair considering how bad the team has been the last couple of seasons. Tennessee is fresh off consecutive 3-14 seasons and has yet to prove it's a better team on the field.
The backend of the power rankings seemed to align with the teams that had a top-five draft pick, with the Raiders, Cardinals, and Jets all near the bottom as well.
On paper, the Titans have moved the needle. It'll come down to how this new-look Titans team plays in 2026.