Tennessee Titans

The Titans sit on $1651.0M in cap room (rank 2 of 32) with only $3.8M in dead money (rank 28 of 32), giving them one of the most spendable balance sheets in the league right now.

19 contracts expiring

Madden Tools Analysis

Four starting spots have weak depth behind the starter.

Seven picks all falling in the first round, with three first-rounders in the bank and 21 picks across the next three years, gives Tennessee one of the richest draft stockpiles in the league.

The roster's top strength is the defensive front anchored by a 95-overall Jeffery Simmons, while the offensive line, particularly at left tackle and center, is the weakest spot on the depth chart by a significant margin.

• Chigh

  Austin Schlottmann starts at center but ranks dead last among starters league-wide at 68 overall, making interior upgrade at center a top-priority move.

• FShigh

  Kevin Winston Jr. is a 74-overall Star with upside, but his starter rank of 28th league-wide means the position needs immediate investment to stop being a liability.

• LThigh

  James Hudson III holds the starting job at 63 overall and the team ranks 29th in both starter quality and overall depth, making left tackle the single most urgent offensive line hole.

• RGhigh

  Fernando Carmona starts at 70 overall but the team ranks 29th at the position among starters, and the backup depth behind him is thin and unproven.

• TEhigh

  Gunnar Helm starts at 71 overall and the tight end room ranks 31st among starters league-wide, with Daniel Bellinger and Kylen Granson providing low-ceiling depth.

• MIKEmedium

  Cody Barton starts at 78 overall, but with Anthony Hill Jr. still developing behind him at 73 overall, adding linebacker competition would stabilize the long-term picture.

• QBmedium

  Cam Ward is the starter at 74 overall and ranks 26th among starting quarterbacks, making his development the franchise's most critical variable over the next several seasons.

• REDGEmedium

  Oluwafemi Oladejo starts at 73 overall with Jermaine Johnson II as the only backup, leaving the position short on proven production and pass-rush depth.

• CBlow

  Cor'Dale Flott and Alontae Taylor give the room a decent floor, but the team ranks 23rd among starters and depth behind the top two drops off quickly.

• LEDGElow

  Keldric Faulk leads the position at 78 overall as a 21-year-old Star, but Jacob Martin behind him is entering the late stage of his career, so depth must be cultivated.

• SSlow

  Amani Hooker starts at 78 overall, ranking 21st among starters, and while the position is not critical the depth behind him is uneven.

• WRlow

  Wan'Dale Robinson anchors the room but the team ranks 21st among starters, and Calvin Ridley entering the back end of his career means a long-term second option is needed.

• 65Mitchell TrubiskyQBMitchell Trubisky sits third on the QB depth chart behind Cam Ward and a kicker, contributes nothing to development at 65 overall, and cutting him frees $1.4M against just $2.8M in dead money.Frees $1.4M · $2.8M dead
• 57Milo EiflerMIKEMilo Eifler is the third linebacker at MIKE at 57 overall, is the lowest-rated player on the roster, and his release frees $600K with zero dead money.Frees $600.0K · $0 dead
• 77Jermaine Johnson IIREDGEJermaine Johnson II is the sole backup at REDGE at 77 overall and carries real trade or release value, and cutting him frees $13.4M with no dead money that can be redirected to the offensive line.Frees $13.4M · $0 dead
• 62David Martin-RobinsonTEDavid Martin-Robinson sits third on the TE depth chart at 62 overall and contributes minimally, and his release frees $1.1M with no dead money attached.Frees $1.1M · $0 dead
• 77Tyjae SpearsHBTyjae Spears is the second back at 77 overall behind Tony Pollard, and with Nick Singleton developing behind him, his $3.7M release cost against only $240K in dead money is a reasonable trade-off if cap space is needed.Frees $3.7M · $240.0K dead

The Titans hand you a roster built around a handful of genuine pieces but riddled with structural gaps that demand immediate attention. Jeffery Simmons at 95 overall is one of the best interior defenders in the league and the unquestioned defensive cornerstone. The offensive line is the most pressing concern: James Hudson III holds the starting left tackle job at 63 overall while the center position ranks last in the league, and meaningful wins will be difficult until both spots are addressed. Cam Ward is a 74-overall Star quarterback who will need time and better protection to develop into the franchise signal-caller this team requires. The wide receiver room has genuine youth in Carnell Tate and Wan'Dale Robinson, and Cor'Dale Flott gives the secondary a legitimate top cornerback. Tony Pollard is a productive lead back but has reached a point in his career where the team must develop a succession plan, and Calvin Ridley on the outside is in the final chapter of what he can offer. The encouraging signs are real: young Star talents at edge, linebacker, receiver, and safety suggest a core worth building around, the team carries almost no dead money at $3.8M (rank 28 of 32 in dead cap), and the cap room and draft capital give management meaningful tools to close the gaps quickly.

The franchise was founded in 1959-60 by oilman K.S. "Bud" Adams as the Houston Oilers, one of eight charter members of the upstart American Football League (AFL), beginning play in 1960 at Houston's Jeppesen Stadium. Behind quarterback George Blanda and Heisman winner Billy Cannon, the Oilers were the AFL's first dynasty, winning the league's first two championships in 1960 and 1961 and reaching a third straight title game in 1962. After the 1970 AFL-NFL merger, Houston endured lean years before the beloved "Luv Ya Blue" era of the late 1970s, powered by Hall of Fame running back Earl Campbell and coach Bum Phillips, reaching consecutive AFC Championship Games (1978, 1979). The Warren Moon era (1984-1993) produced a high-flying run-and-shoot offense and seven straight playoff berths (1987-1993) but no conference title, and included the infamous 1993 playoff collapse, when the Oilers blew a 35-3 lead to Buffalo. Amid stadium disputes, Adams relocated the team to Tennessee in 1997, playing as the Tennessee Oilers in Memphis (1997) and at Vanderbilt Stadium in Nashville (1998) before renaming to the Tennessee Titans in 1999. The 1999 Titans, led by QB Steve McNair, RB Eddie George, and coach Jeff Fisher, went 13-3 and made a magical playoff run featuring the "Music City Miracle," reaching Super Bowl XXXIV, where they fell 23-16 to the St. Louis Rams, stopped one yard short on the final play ("The Tackle"). The Titans have since had strong stretches, including six straight winning seasons 2016-2021 under Mike Vrabel with Derrick Henry, but slid into a rebuild in the mid-2020s, bottoming out with consecutive 3-14 finishes in 2024 and 2025.