The Titans mirror the Patriots' successful blueprint: aggressive free agency, a promising young quarterback, and a defensive mastermind. Could a playoff berth follow?
The Tennessee Titans aren't looking for a multi-year rebuild, and recent history shows that is the case.
Things have gone pretty downhill for the Titans ever since they fired Mike Vrabel after the 2023 season. Vrabel started hot out of the gate, taking the Titans to the AFC Championship Game in his second season with the franchise.
He went to the postseason from 2019-2021, but then went 13-21 in his final two seasons.
The Titans have gone 6-28 since that decision, and former head coach Brian Callahan didn't even make two seasons before he was fired.
Vrabel is now with the New England Patriots, who just went to the Super Bowl and lost to the Seattle Seahawks after finishing 3-14 in 2024.
The Patriots had a quick turnaround after a massive spending spree in free agency. They spent the most money in free agency with major additions, including Milton Williams, Stefon Diggs, Carlton Davis, and Morgan Moses.
Then, they had the No. 4 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft and selected offensive tackle Will Campbell from LSU.
If you've been watching closely, the Titans are doing the exact same thing that Vrabel and the Patriots did before their monster season. ESPN's Adam Schefter didn't commit to saying the Titans would go to the Super Bowl as the Patriots did, but he could very well see them reaching the postseason in 2026.
Schefter said on "The Adam Schefter Podcast" that if Cam Ward lives up to the hype, watch out.
"Turns Cam Ward into the type of player that he has the talent to be. He's the former number one overall pick last year. Then, the Titans can be, I'm not gonna tell ya that they're gonna have the kind of season that the Patriots did last year, but they could go to the playoffs next year. They can go to the playoffs. If Cam Ward is turned around and is up to his potential, playing up to his potential from Daboll. Watch out for the Titans."
Like the Patriots, General Manager Mike Borgonzi also wasn't afraid to break out the checkbook. The Titans also spent the most money in free agency, with their biggest moves including Wan'Dale Robinson, John Franklin-Myers, Alontae Taylor and Cord'Dale Flott.
Tennessee will also have a second-year quarterback under center in Ward, similar to how New England did with Drake Maye. Plus, the franchise went with Robert Saleh, who had previously been a head coach, specializing in defense. Saleh was previously the defensive coordinator of the San Francisco 49ers, but also served as the New York Jets' head coach from 2021-24.
As fate would have it, the Titans have the No. 4 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. There have been debates on whether the Titans should go with an edge rusher or take the best player available, but the similarities are starting to get weird.
Like Schefter, I would be surprised if this Titans team made the Super Bowl like the Patriots did in 2025, or even had a similar turnaround to the Washington Commanders in 2024.
However, I also have hope because of what those two teams accomplished. Mike Borgonzi is trying to follow in their footsteps as best as he can.
This franchise was last in the Super Bowl in its inaugural season as the Tennessee Titans in 1999. The progression of Ward could be the key to unlocking this team's potential in the first year of the Saleh era in the Music City.