Titans fortify the trenches, adding draft talent and hinting at more offensive line reinforcements to come.
The Tennessee Titans made some changes to how the offensive line will look in 2026.
The team said goodbye to two starters from 2025 in center Lloyd Cushenberry and right guard Kevin Zeitler. Cushenberry was released to create cap space, while Zeitler left the team in free agency.
The Titans needed to find capable starters at both positions, and they did so in free agency, bringing in former New York Giants center Austin Schlottmann and former Cincinnati Bengals guard Cordell Volson.
Schlottmann didn't start a lot of games for Brian Daboll at the Giants, but in his four starts, he looked pretty solid. He didn't allow a single sack and was flagged three times, with three quarterback hits allowed.
Then you have Volson.
Volson started 48 games for the Bengals but is coming off a season-ending injury in 2025.
With Jackson Slater, Garrett Dellinger, Drew Moss, Clay Webb and Trey Hill as the reserves, Tennessee knew it needed to add to the interior offensive line in the 2026 NFL Draft.
The Titans selected Arkansas guard Fernando Carmona and Indiana center Pat Coogan in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Both spent time at two different programs, with Carmona playing at San Jose State before transferring to Arkansas and Coogan going from Notre Dame to Indiana.
General Manager Mike Borgonzi said recently that he believes Carmona and Coogan could compete for a starting role. With Volson coming off his injury last season, Carmona could definitely have a good shot at beating him and Slater for starting right guard.
Coogan is a very experienced center out of college who could overtake Schlottmann with his lack of starts.
However, Assistant GM Dave Ziegler hinted that the team isn't done bringing in offensive linemen.
"Well, I think with the group that we have now—obviously, we signed Cordell Volson, who has a lot of experience, having started for three years in Cincinnati before having an injury," Ziegler said. "We like the experience that he brings. We like his size. We like his toughness. Jackson Slater is going to be here in year two, so we're excited to see what his development is in the spring. And we drafted a couple of guys. So yeah, there's a level of competition that's still going to be taking place there, and then there's an element for us to continue to—whether it's offensive line or other positions—continue to look to improve it. Free agency's over, and the draft's over, but there's still an element of different areas of the team that we are going to continue to add competition to, and I think offensive line will be one of those positions, along with some other ones."
Zeitler would be an easy addition that would make sense for the Titans. He was just on a one-year deal, so the team doesn't have to commit to anything long-term if they don't like the current state of affairs at right guard and want to add competition, as Ziegler said.
Even the tackles could be upgraded a bit.
Dan Moore Jr's backups are currently Austin Deculus and Ryan Hayes. At right tackle, undrafted free agent Aamil Wagner out of Notre Dame and Brandon Crenshaw-Dickson are behind J.C. Latham.
It wouldn't hurt to bring in more players at center, with Coogan and Schlottmann as the frontrunners.
It's not a crazy idea for the Titans to keep adding at other positions, like offensive line or others. I mean, this team has won six games over the last two seasons. Reinforcements should not only be welcomed, but they're needed, let's be honest.
It sounds like the Titans aren't done just yet, even though the draft and free agency have both come and gone.