Titans 53-Man Roster 2025: The two most important players to Cam Ward's success, how a big overpay will turn into a good thing
This article is about the single most important pair of players on the Titans roster when it comes to Cam Ward's success.
Advertisement
This is the offensive tackle portion of an ongoing article series, breaking down the Titans projected 53-man roster one position at a time. So far we've covered the interior offensive line, quarterbacks, Kalel Mullings' role, Tyjae Spears' most important season ever, and Tony Pollard's potential ceiling.
Here's everything you need to know about the first pair of competent tackles the Titans have had in years:
Offensive Tackles
JC Latham
Dan Moore
John Ojukwu
Cut: Jaelyn Duncan, Olisaemeka Udoh, Brandon Crenshaw-Dickson
Guards
Peter Skoronski
Kevin Zeitler
Jackson Slater
Blake Hance
Cut: Andrew Rupcich, Chandler Brewer
Centers
Lloyd Cushenberry
Corey Levin
Cut: Sam Mustipher, Brenden Jaimes
Success Or Failure: In The Tackles' Hands
The one change I made to this depth chart projection after OTA's and Mandatory Minicamp is including OT John Ojukwu and removing Oli Udoh and Brandon Crenshaw-Dickson. As for Crenshaw-Dickson, who I find very intriguing, I think he'll take some time on the practice squad. But I'm not going to rule out a development track for him down the road. And Udoh was brought in to compete, but the more I spoke with people at practice, the more apparent it became that Ojukwu has a role to play in this offense. He is far from perfect. He may never be a truly satisfactory swing tackle in the NFL… but I'd argue, who does? More on that idea under the next heading.
Advertisement
What Ojukwu does bring to the table, though, is athletic versatility in jumbo packages. The Titans tapped him to beef up the line on these looks in 2024, and I think he could be useful in that way again this year. I also think going into his 2nd year in the Bill Callahan system could mean some development starts to take hold. We'll have to wait and see.
As for everybody in this tackle room, the starters in particular, I think they hold in their hands the keys to this car. I don't think there is a thing about this team more important—outside of Cam Ward being good at football—to their success in 2025 than the tackle play. When I ranked Ward's supporting cast on offense, which you can read here, I tried to emphasize just how vital this offensive line is.
I think they will make or break the beginning of this rebuild. They have the ability to make this team look surprisingly good in a hurry. They also have the ability to burn everything going on around them to the ground, whether those things are working well or not. They are the cornerstone. Between OL play and skill play, If you gave me the choice between supplying Cam Ward with utter competence at one and incompetence at the other, my decision couldn't be easier. Ward's success begins in the trenches. Simply give him space and time, and I trust him to figure out the rest.
Dan Moore Is Tall Enough To Ride The Ride
When the Titans signed Dan Moore to the largest OL deal in free agency, 4yr/$82M, a lot of people panned the move as a serious overpay of an average tackle. And I think both of those things can be independently true, and still be a good thing for the Titans. That sounds like a serious dose of cope, doesn't it? Let me explain.
Advertisement
Yes, I agree it was an overpay. And yes, I agree Dan Moore is an average tackle. In fact, I have heard him quite appropriated described as the most average tackle in the NFL. But unlike those who say that in a dismissive, derogatory tone, I've come to appreciate what truly average tackle play means.
I spoke with Brandon Thorn back when the Titans first signed Moore. Thorn is the foremost thought leader in NFL media today on the topic of offensive line play. I highly recommend reading what he had to say at the link here. My conversation with him changed the way that I think about the tackle position. There's no doubt that having a truly elite tackle is a game changer for what you can accomplish in the trenches. But what's really the most important thing about tackle play is having good enough.
Offensive line, but particularly offensive tackle, is kind of a benchmark position. You have to be tall enough to ride the ride. There's a pretty black-and-white line of demarcation between guys who can hang at tackle in the NFL and those who can't. We don't really see guys living in the grey area in-between; it's usually pretty easy to tell which category they fit into. And at any given time, there are something like 16-20 left tackles in the league who can actually hang.
The Titans have been in the wilderness for season after season with guys who clearly couldn't hang. NPF, Andre Dillard, and Dennis Daley has been an atrocious run of pain and sorrow. And when each of those guys were installed as a Titans starter, there was significant projection involved. None of them had the track record that Dan Moore has. For all of his limitations, Moore has played four consecutive seasons of 1000+ snaps.
Advertisement
So there aren't many questions about what he is. We've seen it, his skillset has been exposed to a high degree of sunlight. It's bright as day that Dan Moore is an average tackle. It's bright as day that he has flaws. But it's also bright as day that he's tall enough to ride the ride. I think he is clearly a capable starting LT in this league. If you don't want to take my word for it, take Brandon Thorn's. And if that's what he continues to be for the Titans, then finally having two capable starting tackles for the first time in years is well worth what it cost to sign him. At tackle, average is good. Because average can be so, so hard to find.
Look Good, Play Good For JC Latham
I'm really excited to see what JC Latham looks like on the field this year. Because I've seen what he looks like off the field right now, and it's a stark difference from how he looked in the winter.
'Yeah, he really committed himself to getting his weight at the range that he needed to get it to.' Coach Brian Callahan explained during Mandatory Minicamp. 'He probably admittedly was heavy at the end of last season as the second half of the year wore on. He learned a lot of lessons himself about what it takes to play tackle in this league. The caliber of players you face every week, and there's no let down. And I think every rookie goes through that phase where they realize, 'Man, whatever I did before I got to do it better if I want to have a chance to be the player I think I'm capable of being.' And JC is capable of being an excellent football player and he really dedicated himself to changing his body like a lot of first-year players going into their second year find ways to do. He looks great, he's in great shape, he's moving really well. I'm excited about where he's at but all the credit goes to him and just understanding what he realized it was going to take to be the player that he wants to be and he dedicated himself to it.'
Latham has been open this offseason about how much heavier he finished last season than he needed to be. He went into detail on the thought process behind staying heavy on purpose at first, the ups and downs of competing at that weight, and the realization that he needed to make a big change in this article.
Advertisement
So not only am I interested in seeing what he looks like back at RT, where he played in college, but I'm also curious to see how his new size impacts his game. His greatest strength has been his impenetrable anchor. Will that change now that he's lighter? And will the trade off be for added athleticism? Year 2 is going to be a fun watch on the right side of the OL.
Related: Titans 53-Man Roster 2025: The most concerning story nobody is giving enough attention, and glaring proof for OL optimism
View the original article to see embedded media.
This story was originally reported by A to Z Sports on Jun 27, 2025, where it first appeared.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
USA Today
an hour ago
- USA Today
Tennessee Titans training camp: Position battle to watch for Day 5
Will James Williams be a starter on the #Titans defense this year?He snagged a nice pick off Cam Ward today 🔥 #TitanUp(🎥 @Titans on IG) Day 5 of the Tennessee Titans' 2025 training camp will transpire on Tuesday at the Ascension Saint Thomas Sports Park, and the competition will continue to heat up as jobs are on the line. With the pads going on for the first time, the battle for the starting inside linebacker position next to Cody Barton could kick into high gear. Early on during practice in shells, second-year linebacker James Williams flashed and has created some buzz. A former college safety, Williams has opened some eyes with his athleticism and ability in coverage, an area that the Titans must improve in 2025. Veteran Otis Reese was widely considered the front-runner to land the starting role opposite Barton, and while he has been steady, he hasn't flashed the big-play potential Williams has displayed in the early stages of camp. Head coach Brian Callahan even spoke on Williams' development during one of the initial media sessions. Asked #Titans Head coach Brian Callahan about James Williams' development at linebacker.... "He's done a really nice job,' Titans coach Brian Callahan said. 'He's matured from his first year to his second. He's starting to understand at the linebacker position, with your eyes and your reads and how quickly you have to diagnose and react, those things have improved leaps and bounds from his first year to his second year. Combine that kind of mental improvement with his maturity, and he's put himself in a really nice position.' While Williams has been a name rising during the initial days of training camp, there is still a long way to go in this competition, and things can change once the physical practices in pads begin. With those practices kicking off on Tuesday, Reese, Cedric Gray, Anfernee Orji, and Curtis Jacobs will receive every chance to compete and stake their claim to that starting role. There is a long way to go in training camp, and with joint practice sessions with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Atlanta Falcons on the horizon, there will be plenty of opportunities for one of these linebackers to carve out a role in the Titans' defense.
Fox News
an hour ago
- Fox News
'Wake Up. Watch Film': The Origin of Titans QB Cam Ward's Obsessive Drive
"Work out, stay in the playbook and throw the f--- out of the ball." That's what Cam Ward said when asked about his summer plans at the end of Titans minicamp in June. The blunt statement was a verbal representation of how the No. 1 overall pick carries himself. In an era when athletes spend more and more time on their brands, Tennessee's hopeful franchise quarterback embodies simplicity. He doesn't draw any more attention to himself than is necessary. Ward just wants to play football, literally. "Phone on DND. Wake up. Watch film," Ward said last week when asked how he manages to carry the weight of expectations. "I talk to five people a day besides my teammates. Talk to my parents and my dog. That's really it. I just be chilling. Go home and I don't really do too much. Eat and then go to sleep." With training camp just underway, the Titans have already come to admire Ward's approach. It's the same one that's been integral to his improbable rise from zero-star recruit — with stops at Incarnate Word and Washington State before starring at Miami last season — to becoming the No. 1 pick in the NFL Draft. It's an approach molded, in many ways, by his family. Ward learned the importance of routine from his father, Calvin, and that only his work would bring him peace. When you play well, they're going to talk about you. When you play badly, they're going to talk about you. That's what Calvin stressed when Cameron started his college career at Incarnate Word, the only school to offer him a scholarship coming out of high school. "'You got the offer you wanted. You got an opportunity to go prove yourself, so you got to block everything out,'" Calvin told me of his message to his son as he started college. "'It's about you, football and your education now. That's all it's about.'" That approach paid dividends for Ward, whose upbringing offers further context. He saw his grandparents twice per week while growing up in little West Columbia, Texas. His paternal grandfather dropped out of school in eighth grade to help care for his 13 brothers and sisters when their father passed away, taking a job as a construction worker. He rose to become the vice president of the small company. On draft night, Ward wore the 25-year-old Rolex that had belonged to his late grandfather, who had worn it no more than three times in his life. "My dad was a quiet man … pretty much leading by example," Calvin said. "Simple man. Family man. Church deacon. Never took a vacation." For the past 35 years, Calvin has worked at a nuclear plant. He drives an hour from the family's home in West Columbia to begin his 10-hour shift at 7 a.m. When Cameron was young and Calvin got home, they would promptly go to the backyard to do throwing drills with a passing net — the reps he didn't get in Columbia High School's Wing-T offense. "It got to the point in high school where when I got home, I say, 'Let's go get it' and he's already done it," Calvin recalled. But Calvin knew his son's mentality was truly different at the start of his college career. Ward's first college game was on the road at McNeese State. His parents stayed in the same hotel as the team. When Cameron visited them before curfew the night before the game, he brought his play sheet — color-coded, with more than a couple of hundred plays — to go over the calls. "It was like 'OK Dad, this is what we coming out with,'" Calvin recalled him saying. "Or, 'Hey, in this situation, this is what we're going to do.' And I ask him questions. "I'm sitting there looking during that first game and I'm like, 'Based on what he said, this is going to happen,'" Calvin added. "And it happened." UIW is where Cameron learned to obsess over film. He watched so much there that coaches would have to tell him to go back to his dorm. That approach has traveled with him to the NFL. Ward gets to the Titans' facility around 5 a.m., earlier than some of the coaches. It's a habit that began in the offseason program, when he'd do film study early with some of the rookie pass-catchers. Coach Brian Callahan has already talked to Ward about pacing himself. "Everybody always starts out of the gate pretty hot," Callahan said in June. "But you start to get into the actual routine, and you understand how long of a season it is and the marathon that it is for young players from the time they finish their college season to the time they finish NFL season. I've made that point [to him]. I'm not telling him what to do. I'm just making the point that there's a lot ahead of him that he's not aware of yet when it comes to this, the length and the week-to-week-to-week grind that comes up for these guys. It is a marathon." A marathon that Cameron will attack the only way he knows how. Last Tuesday, the Titans' reporting date for training camp, Ward arrived at the team facility at 4:45 a.m. "At the end of the day, Cameron wants to be successful," Calvin said. "He doesn't care about the glamor. He doesn't care about the glitz. He doesn't care about the money. He wants his team to win, and he wants to be successful. … When he hits the field, he wants to beat the brakes off. That's just who he is. "You've probably seen that there's not enough focus on him being the first pick or whatever," Calvin added. "He honestly does not care. That's the honest truth. He doesn't care. "He just wants to work, get better, help his team improve." Ben Arthur is an NFL reporter for FOX Sports. He previously worked for The Tennessean/USA TODAY Network, where he was the Titans beat writer for a year and a half. He covered the Seattle Seahawks for for three seasons (2018-20) prior to moving to Tennessee. You can follow Ben on Twitter at @benyarthur. Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account, and follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily!
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
Sean Payton: Dre Greenlaw plays like Mike Tyson
Linebacker Dre Greenlaw made the most of the first day in pads at Broncos training camp. Greenlaw filled gaps and delivered hits throughout team drills in Denver and head coach Sean Payton said you didn't even have to be watching to know that Greenlaw was the one landing blows. Payton said "you can hear it" when Greenlaw makes a hit and then went on to compare his style to another knockout artist from a different sport. "He plays like Mike Tyson," Payton said, via the team's website. "He's tough, he's physical. He's built that way. There's not a lot of leaky yardage. Some guys [allow that]. He's a knock-back tackler. They stop where he hits them. There's an intensity to how he plays. He's one of those players that if you put the film on and didn't say anything, at some point early, you'd ask, 'Who is this guy?'" Greenlaw was limited to two games for the 49ers last year because of injuries and a quad injury interrupted his first offseason in Denver, so one key for the Broncos will be making sure Greenlaw's healthy enough to deploy that physicality on a regular basis. If he is, facing an already tough Broncos defense will be even less enjoyable for opposing offenses in 2025.
