Aggressive free-agency splashes and a loaded draft class have transformed Tennessee’s roster, positioning the revamped squad to dethrone the vulnerable Jaguars and ignite an AFC South shakeup.
The Tennessee Titans are one of the most improved teams in the AFC South this offseason.
General Manager Mike Borgonzi saw that some major changes needed to be made after the team had finished 3-14 for the last two seasons.
He put the Titans' cap space to good use.
The biggest moves he made were for former New York Giants receiver Wan'Dale Robinson, former Denver Broncos defensive tackle John Franklin-Myers, former New Orleans Saints corner Alontae Taylor and former Giants corner Cor'Dale Flott.
Compared to the rest of the division, it became clear that the Titans had improved the most from last season. Neither of the other teams in the AFC South made as many moves as the Titans did.
Plus, the moves they did make weren't very impactful. In free agency alone, the Titans bolstered both sides of the ball.
Then, the Titans improved in the 2026 NFL Draft. Carnell Tate, Keldric Faulk, Anthony Hill Jr., Fernando Carmona, Nicholas Singleton, Jackie Marshall, Pat Coogan and Jaren Kanak were the Titans' selections.
An interesting piece came out from NFL.com's Kevin Patra on Thursday, ranking the most vulnerable division winners. The Jacksonville Jaguars came in eighth, but this gives the Titans an opportunity to really shake things up in the AFC South.
The Jaguars were in a similar position compared to the Titans this time last season. After going 4-13, the Jaguars made some big changes.
They hired former Los Angeles Rams assistant Liam Coen as head coach. He turned things around and won the AFC South, as the Jaguars reached the playoffs for the first time since 2022.
Jacksonville is going to be the favorite to win the division once again in 2026, so it won't be an easy task. They were able to retain defensive coordinator Anthony Campanile, which was big for them.
However, I wonder how many people picked the Jaguars to win the division last season? I doubt even NFL fans who lived in and around Jacksonville figured that team would have that good a season.
What I do know is that the Titans have all the right pieces in place. They have Brian Daboll as offensive coordinator, who worked with Josh Allen at the Buffalo Bills. He now has another promising quarterback in Cam Ward, who showed a lot of great things as a rookie, even though the team didn't perform as well.
Tate gives the Titans a rookie who can compete for a No. 1 WR spot and is a deep threat on the outside. He should pair quite nicely with Calvin Ridley and then Robinson in the slot.
On defense, Saleh has his weapons.
Tennessee selected Hill for the middle linebacker position he has been looking for. Hill is a similar build to Fred Warner of the San Francisco 49ers, as a fast and physical middle linebacker.
Then, the defensive line will feature Jeffery Simmons and Franklin-Myers on the inside, with Jermaine Johnson and Faulk on the edge. Faulk gives the team a versatile option that can line up at multiple positions on the defensive line.
The one thing that the Titans don't have is proof that what they've brought in will work. The Jaguars do have that to their advantage.
It'll all come down to how this team plays with these new additions to see if they can truly challenge the rest of the teams in the division.
It won't be easy to top the Jaguars, but they aren't a perfect team, much like the Titans aren't either.
