Breaking down the specific roles in Robert Saleh’s defense and how the Tennessee Titans are building a defensive line to execute them.
There are many things that are identifiable with a Robert Saleh defense, and we’ll see all of them on display in 2026 with the Tennessee Titans.
The new Titans head coach is known for his 4-3 under, Cover 3 zone-style scheme that stems from the Seattle Seahawks defensive coaching tree under Pete Carroll.
He’s known for his Wide-9 defensive alignment, putting his edge rushers outside of the offensive tackle or tight end to give them a better angle at the quarterback.
He’s known for rushing just four and deploying relentless waves along the defensive front to keep the trenches fresh at all times.
And there’s no denying it works.
In five of his last seven seasons calling a defense—whether as the defensive coordinator of the San Francisco 49ers or the head coach of the New York Jets—Saleh’s defense has finished in the top five in the NFL in yards allowed.
So as Tennessee prepares for a new era of Titans football, the front office has gone on a bit of a spending spree in free agency and been very active in the trade market to give their new head coach a team that fits his defensive scheme, while also providing enough weapons for offensive coordinator Brian Daboll.
But the main area I want to focus on today is the defensive front. Let’s take a look at how the Titans are using free agency to build up the trenches and get an update on the deep rotation Saleh will be able to deploy on the defensive line.
Now, Saleh’s defense is technically a 4-3, but the specific defensive alignments are very precise. There are four key roles on the defensive front that are each different from one another and require different types of players and body types. It’s not as much about whether a player lines up inside or outside, but which gap-attacking role they fit best.
Let’s start with the 3-tech, a defensive tackle who serves as the ultimate interior penetrator. You need someone explosive enough to collapse the pocket, big enough to clog a run lane, and quick enough to pressure the quarterback.
This is where Jeffery Simmons will be when he’s on the field. The First-Team All-Pro is one of the best players in the world at filling this exact role.
When Simmons rotates off, we’ll see some combination of John Franklin-Myers and Solomon Thomas in this spot.
Thomas is entering his 10th season in the NFL, and this will be his eighth year playing in a defense run by Robert Saleh. The latter years of his career have been more successful since he moved inside into more of an interior defensive line role rather than being treated like a pure edge rusher.
Thomas can still kick outside as a strong-side defensive end in certain rotations, but his primary role in this defense will come inside.
That brings us to one of the edge positions in Saleh’s front.
One of the edge rushers in this scheme needs to be a bigger defensive end who can set the edge against the run and has the versatility to flex inside on passing downs. That role will likely be filled by Franklin-Myers, with Femi Oladejo potentially rotating into some of those snaps.
Jaylen Harrell is a bit undersized for that strong-side role, but he has shown good discipline against the run and could still factor into the rotation.
On the opposite edge is the speed rusher, aligned in the Wide-9 with a runway toward the quarterback. Jacob Martin fits that mold best on the current roster. You could also classify Harrell as a speed rusher depending on the situation.
Depending on what happens in the 2026 NFL Draft, the Titans could add more talent here. Edge rusher remains a need for the organization, even if it’s less dire than it was just a few weeks ago. They have depth, but the question remains whether they have a true premium pass rusher off the edge.
If they do have one, it will likely require Jermaine Johnson II taking a big step forward in 2026. Johnson can do a bit of everything. He’s a three-down edge defender who can serve whatever role is necessary depending on the personnel grouping on the field.
Finally, you have the 1-tech defensive tackle — a true nose responsible for eating blocks and keeping the linebackers clean.
The Titans previously filled this role with T’Vondre Sweat, but Saleh’s scheme generally places a greater emphasis on defensive linemen who can move and penetrate rather than simply occupy space. Hence the recent trade with the Jets.
With Sweat now gone, free agent addition Jordan Elliott projects as the player most likely to handle those responsibilities.
The Titans want to come at opponents in waves, and their decisions during free agency have been made with that objective in mind. They’ve added depth, added versatility, and have given Robert Saleh the ability to keep all of his playmakers up front fresh.