PFF projects Tennessee Titans' remaining, future needs
PFF projects Tennessee Titans' remaining, future needs
The 2025 NFL draft is less than two weeks away and the Tennessee Titans are working through their pre-draft evaluations and processes.
They've attended the NFL Combine and various Pro Days, they've hosted players for Top 30 visits and pre-draft visits, and they hosted a local Pro Day earlier this week. They will continue to evaluate players and finalize their ideal players to draft before April 24.
As the draft draws nearer, Pro Football Focus took a look at the state of all 32 NFL teams. The Titans have several needs, both immediate and future.
-Remaining Starter Needs: QB, WR, LB-Remaining Depth/Future Needs: EDGE, CBThe Titans's approach to their quarterback position was one of the driving dominos for lead-up to the 2025 NFL Draft. With Tennessee hardly budging and expressing minimal interest in veterans, it appears close to finalized that the team will select one (likely Cam Ward) with the first-overall pick. With that new quarterback in tow, the team will need another receiver next to Calvin Ridley after finishing 24th in team PFF receiving grade. At linebacker, only Cody Barton reached even 120 defensive snaps a season ago, as the Titans have lost all of Jack Gibbens, Jerome Baker and Luke Gifford.
The Titans ranked 28th in team PFF pass-rushing grade in 2024, and that was before moving on from Harold Landry III — making drafting a high-upside edge defender a priority. A similar attitude should follow at cornerback with Chidobe Awuzie no longer in Nashville. The Titans have requisite starters at the position (L'Jarius Sneed, Darrell Baker Jr., Jarvis Brownlee Jr. and Roger McCreary), but none turned in a 63.0 PFF coverage grade last year.
The remaining starting need at quarterback will be answered with their first pick, and they have seven additional picks to work out their remaining needs. Despite it looking and feeling like the Titans aren't doing much to improve, Mike Borgonzi and Chad Brinker might actually be onto something. But that only holds true if the players they draft in two weeks turn out to be what they need.
Even with all of the pre-draft evaluations and meetings, sometimes in life things just happen. Ask J.J. McCarthy, who was set to be the starting quarterback for the Minnesota Vikings last year until he tore his ACL during preseason. Even if the Titans draft well, players have to stay healthy and perform the way teams anticipate they will play. If that doesn't happen, the team is more likely to fail than succeed and we're back here again next year.
Still, despite the negative feelings surrounding the Titans, on paper, it doesn't look as bad as it feels. And, after the draft, that vibe will change again. Whether it's for the better or worse will depend on how the team drafts.
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