Despite a roster overhaul under defensive mastermind Robert Saleh, Tennessee’s new-look core still struggles for national respect. Discover where the revamped unit lands in latest league-wide rankings.
The Tennessee Titans hired Robert Saleh as their next head coach this offseason.
Given his background in defense, it makes sense that bolstering that side of the ball was a priority for General Manager Mike Borgonzi.
While defense is Saleh's specialty, the Titans gave Cam Ward more weapons to work with as well. In free agency, they added former New York Giants receiver Wan'Dale Robinson and drafted Ohio State WR Carnell Tate at No. 4 overall in the 2026 NFL Draft.
The Titans were one of the most unreliable defenses in the NFL last year. Tennessee allowed the seventh-most passing yards (248.3), 18th-most rushing yards (114.59) and fifth-most points per game (28.1).
To improve the defense, the Titans signed John Franklin-Myers, Alontae Taylor and Cor'Dale Flott. In the draft, they selected defensive prospects Keldric Faulk, Anthony Hill Jr., and Jackie Marshall.
Even before either of those events, the Titans padded their pass rush with edge rusher Jermaine Johnson in a trade that sent T'Vondre Sweat to the New York Jets in exchange.
There's no denying that the Titans are a much-improved team in many facets. However, some people still aren't convinced on the Titans.
This includes Sports Illustrated's Gilberto Manzano, who ranked NFL teams on their best pass rusher, linebacker and defensive back. The Titans came in at No. 24, with Manzano picking Jeffery Simmons, Cody Barton and Taylor.
"Simmons finally got help in Tennessee after the team hired defensive mastermind Robert Saleh and added defensive linemen John Franklin-Myers, Jermaine Johnson II and rookie Keldric Faulk," Manzano said. "With that many pass rushers, Simmons could deliver one of his best seasons in Year 8 of his decorated career. The Titans also added talent to the secondary, with the signing of Taylor, the versatile cornerback from New Orleans. Saleh has the players to quickly turn this defense into a top-12 unit."
Simmons just had the best season of his NFL career in 2025. He had 11 sacks and also accounted for 17 TFLs and 67 total tackles.
Barton was no slouch either. He recorded 81 total tackles, three interceptions, one sack and four TFLs.
Although Manzano picked Barton as the best linebacker on the roster, he may not end up starting in 2026. Hill may be a better fit for what Saleh wants to do on defense, and has even been predicted to take Barton's starting job.
Taylor is one of the many new additions to the Titans' defense. He comes over from the New Orleans Saints after ending 2025 with 83 total tackles, two interceptions, two sacks and seven TFLs.
The Titans continue to get disrespected because they were one of the worst teams in the NFL last season. However, this defensive trio should be ranked higher than No. 24 after all the improvements that have been made.
