The Tennessee Titans have acquired Jermaine Johnson from the New York Jets for T’Vondre Sweat.

This is the first major move for the Titans since they hired former Jets head coach Robert Saleh. 

The Titans ranked No. 30 in defense in 2025. Under defensive coordinator Dennard Wilson, the Titans focused on having a strong secondary. 

On Feb. 4, the Titans hired Gus Bradley to be their new defensive coordinator. Bradley’s defensive system is more balanced, focusing on preventing big plays. 

Johnson is a versatile defender. He has a mix of speed, power and length that is necessary from a linebacker in a balanced scheme like Bradley’s.

Johnson was drafted with the No. 26 pick in the 2022 NFL Draft. Many draft experts had him going in the top 10. The Jets were able to draft him toward the end of the first round, which many experts considered a steal.

In 2023, he made the Pro Bowl with 55 tackles and 11 tackles for loss. 2024 and 2025 were injury-riddled seasons for Johnson. He played just two games in 2024 and 14 games in 2025.

Despite injuries, Johnson still averaged three tackles a game in 2025, around the same as his 2023 averages. However, the one stat that noticeably declined was his quarterback hits. In 2023, he had 16 quarterback hits, compared to just six in 2025. The passive defensive scheme of Jets defensive coordinator Steve Wilks could be the cause of this decline. 

During his Pro Bowl season in 2023, he was in a versatile defensive scheme under defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich. This scheme is similar to Bradley’s, giving fans an idea of how Johnson will be used. 

This trade will not officially go through until the beginning of the new league year on March 11.

The Tennessee Titans have signed veteran wide receiver Tyler Lockett to a one-year, $4 million deal. The deal came just days before the NFL Draft, adding experience to first-overall pick Cam Ward‘s receiving corps.

Since Lockett was drafted by the Seattle Seahawks in the third round of the 2015 NFL Draft, he’s been a mainstay on their offense. He has the second-most receptions (661), receiving yards (8,594) and touchdowns (61) in franchise history.

Lockett’s usage declined as the young Jaxon Smith-Njigba broke out for 1,130 yards in the 2024 season. Ten years after the Seahawks drafted him, he was released. Now, he’ll take that decade of experience to Tennessee.

Lockett adds some much-needed experience and depth to a shallow Titans receiving room. Before his addition, the Titans’ second-string wide receiver was Treylon Burks, who had four receptions for 34 yards in five games in 2024. Behind Calvin Ridley, who put up a thousand-yard season in 2024, Lockett’s skillset will be invaluable.

“I’m excited to be a Tennessee Titan!!” Lockett posted on X. “I’m super thankful and grateful. Let’s get it!! God you get all the glory!!”

The Tennessee Titans drafted Miami quarterback Cam Ward with the first overall pick in the 2025 NFL draft, which surprised nobody.

Ward, 22, has been linked to the Titans for months. Both the team and Ward have hinted that he would be the first overall pick.

“I’ve worked so hard for this moment,” Ward said immediately after being drafted. “I was just a little kid who wanted it.”

Most mock drafts had the Titans selecting Ward, and most draft analysts had Ward as the highest-ranked quarterback in the draft class.

In 2024, Ward finished third in Heisman trophy voting. He finished with 4,313 yards, 39 touchdowns and seven interceptions. His 39 touchdowns were the most for a quarterback in college football.

Ward will likely be the starter for Tennessee when week one rolls around. The Titans for the past two seasons, have primarily used Will Levis as the starting quarterback. Levis has a record of 5-16 in 21 starts.

In addition to Levis, Ward joins a quarterback room with Brandon Allen and Tim Boyle.

The Titans finished 2024 with a 3-14 record. Tennessee, which hasn’t made the playoffs since 2021, is hoping it’s found a franchise quarterback to move the team in a positive direction.

The Tennessee Titans are being highly elusive with their NFL Draft plans, keeping all options open while they continue scouting work. At this point, they’re only offering one promise for their first-overall pick.

“We won’t pass on a generational talent with the first pick in the NFL draft,” Titans president of football operations Chad Brinker told reporters. “We won’t do that.”

Many bettors believe that Brinker is expressing indirect interest in Colorado duel threat Travis Hunter, as the odds for Hunter to be picked first overall plummeted after his statement. In reality, however, he provided so little information that it hardly had to be said in the first place. Brinker didn’t identify a generational talent in the draft, nor did he even confirm that Tennessee has found one. Essentially, he told fans that the team is willing to draft a good player with its first-overall pick. Good to know.

With young quarterback Will Levis entering his third season, the Titans are in a strange position for a seemingly blessed team. Giving up on Levis now in favor of quarterbacks Shedeur Sanders or Cam Ward would be a quick pivot by NFL rebuilding standards. On the other hand, surefire prospects like Hunter may not provide enough immediate value for a struggling Titans roster.

The other option is to trade down, which could be effective in a number of scenarios. Tennessee could reaffirm its belief in Levis and choose to build around him with a healthy return for the first-overall pick. The Titans could also develop an interest in a quarterback further down the draft board, which could incentivize them to trade down for more picks and maximize value later on.

As of right now, it’s obvious that Tennessee has no plan beyond a few months of preparation. Keeping the pick could give the Titans the power to change their franchise with a single move, but there are plenty of teams that would pay heavily for the same opportunity. The pressure for the flagging franchise to take action will only mount as the march to the draft continues.

The Tennessee Titans haven’t had the season they wanted.

For one thing, they’re 3-11 heading into Week 16 in their first year under head coach Brian Callahan. Perhaps even more concerningly, they’ve benched their second-year quarterback Will Levis, who they had hoped could become a long-term starter, for Mason Rudolph.

Levis has 12 touchdowns and 12 interceptions in 11 games this season and posted a 1.1 QBR against the Bengals this past Sunday in a box score comprising just 12 passing attempts, no touchdowns, and three picks.

“This is all about trying to go out and win this week,” said Callahan, discussing the quarterback change on Wednesday.

With a difficult season has come criticism, particularly directed at Levis but encompassing anything from coaching to team culture. In the same Wednesday press conference, a reporter asked Callahan how he would respond to the idea that the Titans were simply too ‘soft’, physically or mentally.

Callahan shot back with a long, angry rant.

“I think that’s complete and total b——- if you want my honest opinion,” said Callahan. “These guys are tough f—ers, man, they go after it every day. They play hard as hell, and at no point have we ever put on tape at any point this season that this is a soft football team. I can’t even wrap my mind around how that would even be a conversation. I mean, just because we don’t win games doesn’t mean we’re soft.”

“That means you just don’t watch the s—. You don’t know what you’re talking about, you don’t know what you’re looking at. So, I’m not going to stand for anybody calling this football team soft. I think that’s b——-.”

Stephen A. Smith defended the rant on ESPN’s First Take, saying, “He would know, and he should defend his team. We all know that the real problem with the Titans is that they don’t have a quarterback.”

Callahan hasn’t given Titans fans a whole lot to be happy about so far. But they wouldn’t mind it if this tirade, plus the quarterback change, were able to spark the team into performing.

Tennessee plays the 6-8 Indianapolis Colts this Sunday.

The past two seasons saw the Titans underachieve after winning the AFC’s top seed in 2021 with a 12-5 record – Tennessee’s record the past two seasons were 7-10 and 6-11, respectively.

Reasons for 2022’s decline are inconsistent play and injuries to Ryan Tannehill, Taylor Lewan and Harold Landry. 2023 saw changes to the staff, most notably offensive coordinator Todd Downing – he was relieved after seeing the Titans’ offense rank 30th in yards per game and 28th in points per game in 2022. Passing game coordinator Tim Kelly slid into the OC spot after Downing’s exit. The Titans fired general manager Jon Robinson and hired Ran Carthon as a replacement.

Mike Vrabel was fired in January 2024 after six seasons when he went 6-18 in the last 24 games since 2022. Cincinnati Bengals offensive coordinator Brian Callahan was hired to succeed Vrabel. All-pro running back Derrick Henry left Nashville to join the Baltimore Ravens as they were interested in Henry’s services, and Henry’s play fits their offensive scheme. The Titans signed Calvin Ridley to help the receiving core, and Tony Pollard was brought in to fill the void. Other notable signings are Chidobe Awuzie, Kenneth Murray Jr., Sebastian Joseph-Day and Lloyd Cushenberry. The Titans traded two seventh-rounders for Chiefs cornerback L’Jarius Sneed.

In the draft, Tennessee selected JC Latham at seventh overall. Latham is expected to slide into the starting right tackle role. Texas defensive tackle T’Vondre Sweat was picked early in round two since he has the strength to counter double teams.

The Titans have the NFL’s sixth most challenging schedule.

Tennessee enters 2024 in the middle of a “rebuild”— thus, this year will see an evaluation of the team’s talent. Will Levis is playing for his third season, while the offensive line experienced a massive revamp this offseason.

TENNESSEE TITANS SCHEDULE & TICKET DEALS

• Sunday Sep. 8		at Chicago Bears Soldier Field, Chicago, IL	1:00pm ETFOX	L 24-17
  Sunday Sep. 15		New York Jets Nissan Stadium, Nashville, TN	1:00pm ETCBS	L 24-17
  Sunday Sep. 22		Green Bay Packers Nissan Stadium, Nashville, TN	1:00pm ETFOX	L 30-14
  Monday Sep. 30		at Miami Dolphins Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, FL	7:30pm ETESPN	W 31-12
  Sunday Oct. 6		BYE
  Sunday Oct. 13		Indianapolis Colts Nissan Stadium, Nashville, TN	1:00pm ETCBS	Buy Tickets
  Sunday Oct. 20		at Buffalo BillsHighmark Stadium, Orchard Park, NY	1:00pm ETCBS	Buy Tickets
  Sunday Oct. 27		at Detroit Lions Ford Field, Detroit, MI	1:00pm ETFOX	Buy Tickets
  Sunday Nov. 3		New England PatriotsNissan Stadium, Nashville, TN	1:00pm ETFOX	Buy Tickets
  Sunday Nov. 10		at Los Angeles ChargersSoFi Stadium, Inglewood, CA	4:05pm ETFOX	Buy Tickets
  Sunday Nov. 17		Minnesota VikingsNissan Stadium, Nashville, TN	1:00pm ETCBS	Buy Tickets
  Sunday Nov. 24		at Houston Texans NRG Stadium, Houston, TX	1:00pm ETCBS	Buy Tickets
  Sunday Dec. 1		at Washington Commanders Northwest Stadium, Landover, MD	1:00pm ETCBS	Buy Tickets
  Sunday Dec. 8		Jacksonville JaguarsNissan Stadium, Nashville, TN	1:00pm ETCBS	Buy Tickets
  Sunday Dec. 15		Cincinnati BengalsNissan Stadium, Nashville, TN	1:00pm ETFOX	Buy Tickets
  Sunday Dec. 22		at Indianapolis ColtsLucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, IN	1:00pm ETCBS	Buy Tickets
  Sunday Dec. 29		at Jacksonville JaguarsEverBank Stadium, Jacksonville, FL	1:00pm ETCBS	Buy Tickets
  Sunday Jan. 5		Houston TexansNissan Stadium, Nashville, TN	Time TBA ETor Sat. Jan. 4	Buy Tickets

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Ten-year veteran Quandre Diggs inked a one-year $5 million deal with the Tennessee Titans. Diggs spent his last five seasons in Seattle, but the Seahawks cut him at the beginning of March under new head coach Mike Macdonald, freeing up $11 million in cap space. Diggs rejoins Jamal Adams in Nashville, working under first-year head coach Brian Callahan, the former Cincinnati Bengals offensive coordinator taking over for Mike Vrabel.

Diggs began his career with the Detroit Lions, but they shipped him to the Pacific Northwest in the middle of the 2019 season, a move perplexing analysts at the time, considering his age and early success. In 2022, he signed a 3-year $39 million extension in Seattle, but he only lasted two more campaigns before being released.

Diggs’ best ability is his availability. He did not miss a game in the last four seasons and participated in a full schedule in eight of ten years as a pro. Diggs also recorded at least one interception in the previous four seasons.

The Titans are attempting to reignite after a disappointing 2023-24 campaign. Will Levis returns under center, trying to build on a surprisingly successful first season as a starter. General manager Ran Carthon attempted to make his life easier by adding wide receiver Calvin Ridley in free agency and drafting offensive tackle JT Latham out of Alabama in the first round. On the other side of the ball, the team used their second-round pick on defensive tackle T’Vondre Sweat while inking cornerback L’Jarius Sneed to a 4-year $76 million deal after a sign and trade with the Kansas City Chiefs. Hard Rock Bet set the team’s over/under win total at 6.5.

A Texas native, Diggs played college football at the University of Texas from 2011 to 2014 and earned Big 12 Freshman of the Year honors. He went in the sixth round of the 2015 draft to the Lions.

Former Dallas Cowboys running back Tony Pollard has signed a new contract with the Tennessee Titans paying $24 million over three years. In an effort to replace long-time running back Derrick Henry who left for the Baltimore Ravens in free agency, the Titans picked up Pollard who has a proven track record as a starting running back in the league.

Pollard played last season with the Cowboys under the franchise tag, making more than $10 million as he was elevated to the lead role following the departure of Ezekiel Elliot. He had a slow start to the 2023 campaign following a fractured leg, but Pollard slowly found a rhythm as the season went on. He finished the year as the 12th leading rusher in the NFL with 1,005 regular season rushing yards with an average of four per carry along with only six touchdowns. Though playing in one less game the year before, Pollard’s 2022 stats as a backup in Dallas were just as strong, finishing with the same total yards and twice as many total touchdowns.

The Cowboys were reportedly still interested in keeping Pollard, but it couldn’t have been for the amount of money from the franchise tag or that given by the Titans. The New York Giants and Minnesota Vikings were also interested in him, but he chose the team that had the biggest hole in their running back room to fill.

Pollard’s new deal with Tennessee is a lower salary than he made with Dallas last year, but the three-year contract offers more safety and guaranteed money. The roughly $8 million he is set to make in 2023 is similar to the contract signed by D’Andre Swift and the Chicago Bears. And though $8 million might seem like a big price for a player like Pollard, his contract still sits behind the higher-than-league average deals for running backs like Christian McCaffrey, Alvin Kamara, Nick Chubb, Jonathan Taylor and Aaron Jones.

As he comes to Tennessee in the wake of former MVP Henry, Pollard has big shoes to fill. He isn’t the same type of player physically, lacking three inches and almost 40 pounds compared to his predecessor, but the 6′, 209-pound former Cowboy has the necessary skills to be a top running back in the league. Unlike Henry, Pollard has shown throughout his career that he is a great pass catcher, with 39 catches in 2021 and 2022 followed by 55 receptions in 2023. Along with Pollard, the Titans also have their 2023 third-round draft pick Tyjae Spears, who had a total of 100 rushes for 453 yards last year.

In hopes of reclaiming the dominant run game that they have managed in the past, only time will tell if the addition of Pollard with Spears will prove beneficial for the Titans.

In the midst of a wild week of free agency in the NFL, the Tennessee Titans still managed to make a splash, signing wide receiver Calvin Ridley to a four-year, $92 million deal. The acquisition gives young quarterback Will Levis more options down the sideline, but some have still questioned the Titans’ decision to sign the five-year veteran.

On social media, the argument against Ridley’s contract revolves around its stark juxtaposition to a similar negotiation for former Titans receiver A.J. Brown. In 2022, at age 24, Brown signed a four-year, $100 million deal with the Eagles, an offer the Titans reportedly refused to match or beat.

Brown rose to stardom on his new team and is now one of the best receivers in the league. Now, the Titans seem to be willing to agree to a very similar contract for Ridley, an older and more volatile player.

At age 29, Ridley only has five years of NFL experience because he was suspended for the 2022 season for illegal gambling violations. He also missed most of the 2021 season for personal reasons.

Based on his breakout 1,300-yard season with the Falcons in 2020, the Jaguars acquired Ridley in a trade during his suspension. In his only season in Jacksonville, he broke the 1,000-yard barrier for the second time in his career but was still underwhelming as the team’s top receiver.

Ridley has fought critics on social media, calling the deal fair for the value he brings. Titans quarterback Levis is also likely to be happy, as he praised Ridley on Robert Griffin III’s podcast before the signing.

“I got to see first-hand him torch us a couple of times,” Levis said. “It would be cool to have someone of his caliber out there playing. I’m sure he’s comfortable with [offensive coordinator Nick] Holz.”

It is unlikely that Ridley’s signing alone will solve all of the Titans’ problems, as the team must quickly transition from an offense geared around running back Derrick Henry, now on the Baltimore Ravens, to one structured around Levis. The young passer still has plenty to prove after a middling rookie season, but Ridley’s arrival could also provide more opportunities.

Last week, the New York Giants officially announced the hiring of former Tennessee Titans defensive coordinator, Shane Bowen, as their new defensive coordinator to replace Wink Martindale.

Giants general manager Joe Schoen and head coach Brian Daboll reportedly placed high importance on taking their time with the hire, looking for just the right man for the job. The search took over three weeks and eight interviews before they settled on Bowen.

Bowen began his NFL coaching career with the Houston Texans in 2016 where he was the defensive assistant for two years before joining the Titans. He then served as the Titans outside linebackers coach from 2018-2020 before being promoted to defensive coordinator in 2021. He’s held that position for the last three years.

In his first season with the Titans, they had the second-ranked rushing defense. The following year, they led the league against the rush, allowing just 76.9 yards per game. Last year, they dropped to 13th in rushing defense, 18th in yards allowed and 16th in points.

That’s still a major upgrade from the Giants position last year, who were tied for first in turnovers at 31, and in the bottom six in the league for yards and points allowed. Both teams finished their season with a 6-11 record last year.

Bowen’s firing from the Titans likely has a lot to do with the firing of their head coach Mike Vrabel, who had brought Bowen in the same year he was hired in 2018. They shared a history of coaching together at Ohio State and in Houston, dating back to 2012.

Vrabel though, is still looking for a new position. Rumors around the league list him as a potential top candidate as the defensive coordinator for the 49ers. With the current Giants coaching staff, it’s unlikely that he’ll be able to continue working with Bowen.

The Philadelphia Eagles have boosted its secondary line by acquiring safety Kevin Byard from the Tennessee Titans in a trade. In exchange for Byard, the Titans will receive fifth and sixth-round draft picks in 2024, as well as safety Terrell Edmunds. 

Byard has both All-Pro and Pro Bowl pedigree and looks to help the team in its defense during the second half of the second. Now playing for his hometown team, Byard lived in Philadelphia during his childhood and some of his teenage years. 

Byard has become a mainstay in the Tennessee Titans’ defense. During his time there, he has had 27 interceptions, 63 pass deflections and 674 tackles in 120 career NFL games. 

Byard’s trade comes after the Eagles seek to deal with injuries in the safety position, as Reed Blankenship and Justin Evans are currently out.

Byard is one of a few Titans who have been released by first-year manager Ran Carthon, who released a couple of veterans in the offseason. At 2-4, The Tennessee Titans currently sit in last place in the AFC South. 

Kevin Byard restructured his contract with the Tennessee Titans and is back prior to training camp, despite trade rumors earlier this offseason with the two-time All-Pro free safety.

Back in March, the Titans asked the 29-year-old to take a pay cut, and once he declined, that led to speculation that he would possibly get traded or cut due to cap space. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, he reported that the veteran was at “a crossroads” with the organization.

However, late last month, the two-time Pro Bowler said during a podcast appearance that he and the Titans were “in a good place,” leading to a renegotiation of his current deal. But some movement came through once star wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins signed with the team last week, most likely helping the negotiations with incentives.

Per Ian Rapoport of NFL Media, Byard has agreed to terms on a restructured deal. He’ll now make $11 million in base salary with incentives that can get him back to the $14 million he was originally owed.

The former third-round pick from Middle Tennessee State back in 2016 has been a revelation for the Titans, as he is acknowledged by many as a top-ten, even top-five safety overall in the NFL. Back in July 2019, Byard signed a five-year, $70.5 million deal to make him the highest-paid safety at the time.

According to Spotrac, Byard is still the top-paid free safety, but the fourth-highest-paid safety overall.  Per NFL Network’s Cameron Wolfe, he still has two years and $28.2 million left on his contract, but his $31 million in guarantees had run out, leading to the reworked deal.

Spending his whole seven-year career so far with Tennessee, Byard has started every game and played nearly every snap for the team’s defense since 2017.

In 2022, the Titan’s star safety had 108 tackles, six passes defensed, and four interceptions while playing 98% of Tennessee’s defensive snaps. With 27 career interceptions, the 2017 interceptions co-leader is tied for fourth on the all-time franchise list for the team.

Now looking to get back to the playoffs, Byard and the Titan’s defense will look to get back to form under head coach Mike Vrabel and compete in an interesting AFC South, as Tennessee won seven games last year and ranked second in their division.

The former Arizona Cardinals wideout is headed to the AFC South, after linking up with the Titans after visiting Tennessee earlier this offseason. The five-time All-Pro, Pro Bowl receiver inked a two-year deal worth $26 million, as DeAndre Hopkins finally landed with a team.

According to NFL Media NFL Insider Jonathan Jones, the contract can be worth up to $32 million due to incentives, as it is expected to be finalized this week. Here is the breakdown above of what the incentives look like, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.

Last month, the Titans had Nuk Hopkins in town for a visit, even hosting him in a suite at Nissan Stadium for CMA Fest on June 11. D-Hop also visited New England and met with the Patriots before ultimately choosing Tennessee.

The 31-year-old was cut by the Cardinals after Arizona couldn’t find a trade partner to take on his contract back in May during and post-NFL Draft. In September 2020, Hopkins signed a two-year, $54.5 million extension to stay in Arizona, but with the Cardinals shifting management and coaches, it was clear Nuk’s time with the Cardinals was up but the decision of simply cutting him was surprising.

In May 2022, D-Hop was suspended for six games due to a PED violation. Despite that, the vet pass-catcher averaged 7.1 catches per game (fourth in NFL) and 79.7 receiving yards per game (10th in NFL) despite playing in just nine games on a 4-13 Cardinals team.

Former head coach Kliff Kingsbury was fired after the season Arizona had last year and former Philadelphia Eagles defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon took over as the head coach. New general manager Monti Ossenfort took over for Steve Keim back in January as the new GM of the Cardinals.

The change in management was most likely a part of the decision of what to do with Nuk, along with whether or not he wanted to stay on a team that will have Kyler Murray out for a few weeks to start the season. Despite him aiming for a return in week one after suffering a torn ACL in December of last year, the star quarterback will likely be fully healthy around week four or five, since he had his surgery to repair it in January. D-Hop also didn’t leave Arizona on good terms, as he sat out the last two games despite being healthy enough to play on a losing team.

The Titans are getting a star pass-catcher a rookie like Will Levis or Malik Willis or veteran Ryan Tannehill could trust, but this isn’t the first time Tennessee had a big-name receiver. The year before, Julio Jones was shipped off from the Atlanta Falcons back in 2021, and the 34-year-old disappointed in Tennessee, dealing with more injuries till the Titans cut ties after the first year of the trade.

Due to injuries (hamstring and torn MCL) and the suspension, Hopkins has missed 15 out of 34 possible regular-season games over the past two years. Still, Nuk has the eighth-most receiving yards through a player’s first ten seasons in NFL history (11,298), and the fourth-most receptions (853).

The Titans, even if he is older and more prone to injury, are getting an alpha pass catcher in D-Hop. Their wide-receiving core is debatably the worst or near the bottom of the league, with second-year pass catchers Treylon Burks and Kyle Phillips, along with veterans Nick Westbrook-Ikhine and free agent signing Chris Moore. Last season, Tennessee didn’t have a prominent wide receiver after trading superstar A.J. Brown to the Philadelphia Eagles back in April 2022 and didn’t do anything to replace any of his production besides drafting Burks in the first round.

With just running back Derrick Henry toting the rock and carrying the offense, Tennessee’s scoring offense fell from No. 15 in the NFL to No. 28 last year. Last year, the Titans had what was statistically the third-worst offense in the league (296.8 yards of total offense per game), and the third-worst passing offense (171.4 passing yards per game) but hope with the addition of Hopkins, that changes for 2023.

Hopkins stated when he was a free agent that he was looking for three things when picking his new team and apparently with the Titans, it fits all his requirements. Despite not having an alpha wide receiver, Tennessee won seven games and was second in the AFC South, behind the nine-win Jacksonville Jaguars who made the playoffs.

Nuk does have familiarity with the head coach of the Titans, Mike Vrabel, as he was the defensive assistant for the Houston Texans when D-Hop was there for four seasons.

“I had a lot of interaction with him,” Hopkins told the Titans’ official website about Vrabel back in 2018. “He’s one of those guys you could talk to off the field, not just about football, but personal stuff. Vrabel was good to me. It wasn’t just a football relationship with him, it was a personal relationship. Guys could relate to him.”

Hopkins had high praise for Vrabel, as the NFL touchdown receiving leader back in 2017 mentioned this about his coach’s character:

“He’s a great guy. He’s not just a good coach, but he’s a good guy. He can relate to his players. The Titans are lucky to have him.”

Hopkins also worked with new Titans offensive coordinator Tim Kelly, who served as a Texans offensive assistant for eight years, including three seasons as offensive coordinator. With Kelly as OC for one year, Hopkins caught 104 passes for 1,165 yards and seven touchdowns during that season.

The Tennessee Titans are looking to be in the playoff mix again for the AFC, and adding Nuk certainly helps, even if the quarterback and offensive line positions are still question marks heading into the new season.

Many were shocked when Will Levis’ name did not come off the board in the first round of the 2023 NFL draft – but tonight could be a good opportunity for a team to land a franchise quarterback.

Thursday night, a total of four quarterbacks were taken.

Anthony Richardson, C.J. Stroud, and Bryce Young were picked in the top four and a quarterback was not taken the rest of the night.

According to ESPN Analytics, Levis had a 92% chance of getting picked inside the top 10 – let alone the first round.

But instead, the night featured various camera shots of the Levis anxiously waiting inside the NFL Draft green room to get a phone call.

As to why Levis was not even selected in the first round is not clear.

But ESPN’s Chris Mortensen reported that one team thought the two games he missed in 2022 for the Kentucky Wildcats with a left toe injury was “problematic.”

And another NFL organization thinks Levis could manage through the injury but could potentially need surgery.

The other reason why Levis might have been passed up in the first round is that teams wanted to fill other needs and didn’t want to take a waiver on him.

As far as his talent goes, the book on Levis is that he has all of the tools from arm strength to athleticism to be an elite-level quarterback in the NFL.

But his issue has been consistently putting it together.

Now, that sounds similar to Hall of Famer Brett Favre and potentially future Hall of Famer Josh Allen.

Both struggled with accuracy coming out of college – only completing around 55% and 56% of their passes respectively in their final seasons.

So a team will need need to properly develop Levis and make sure his surroundings are comfortable.

As for the best fit, that could be a team that does not have a long-term option at quarterback.

This includes the Las Vegas Raiders, and perhaps the Tennessee Titans. The Lions are set to pick 34th and the Titans are scheduled to pick 41st.

But there could be a team out there that has Levis rated high that does not have a need for a quarterback this year.

For example, that didn’t stop the Green Bay Packers from taking Aaron Rodgers 24th overall in 2005 despite having Favre.

While there are so many positions for teams to worry about in football – sometimes the strategy is to pick the best player available.

And finding a franchise quarterback is a tough task, as Levis is a 23-year-old with an intriguing skillset to entice teams – especially in the second round.

Also, don’t be surprised if a team trades up to come and gets Levis.

The Tennessee Titans announced Wednesday that they had released offensive tackle Taylor Lewan. Lewan has played for Tennessee since 2014 and appeared in three straight Pro Bowls between 2016 and 2018.

“Thank you to every single Titan fan,” Lewan tweeted. “Whether you loved me or hated me all I’ve ever wanted was to make this city proud and help bring back a franchise.”

https://twitter.com/TaylorLewan77/status/1628487674964152321?s=20

On Feb. 10, Lewan said that he expected the Titans to release him and that he would consider retirement if that were to occur. The tackle suffered a season-ending knee injury in Week 2 last year, and persisting health issues are a likely motivating factor for his retirement considerations.

But on a January episode of Bussin With the Boys, a podcast he runs with former teammate Will Compton, Lewan also expressed interest in continuing his career with the Los Angeles Rams.

“I think the L.A. Rams are a team I’d be interested in,” Lewan said. “I think L.A. would be cool because (Neal) ElAttrache is their doctor … I think Sean McVay is a f——- stud. And I think it’d be a lot of fun there too.”

Lewan’s future in the NFL may be unclear, but his role in the Titans’ offense over the past nine seasons has been integral. After four seasons of college football at the University of Michigan, the Titans selected Lewan with the 11th overall pick in the 2014 NFL Draft. He became the team’s starting right tackle in 2015.

Between 2016 and 2018, Lewan became an indispensable blocker for the Titans, helping running back DeMarco Murray rush for 1,287 yards in 2016. He later blocked for Derrick Henry, who took over for Murray as the Titans’ lead rusher and blossomed into one of the best running backs in the NFL. In 2020, Henry bought his offensive lineman a pair of luxury sneakers, a clear indicator of Lewan’s importance to his success.

Following his release Wednesday, the Titans released a tribute video thanking Lewan for his tenure with the team.

The Dallas Cowboys unveiled a new white helmet in their Thursday Night Football game against the Tennessee Titans. Combined with their Color Rush jersey, the uniform has been referred to as the “Arctic Cowboy” look. Dallas is the only NFL team to use two alternate helmets this season after unveiling a similar uniform on Thanksgiving.

The Cowboys’ new “Arctic White” helmet is the first time the team has ever used a white face mask on a white helmet. The monochromatic look will pair with the team’s all-white Color Rush uniform, first worn by the team in 2015. The NFL’s Color Rush promotion formally ended in 2018, but the Cowboys have used the uniform many times since as an alternate.

The Titans will also wear their Color Rush uniforms, donning navy blue for their matchup with Dallas. They will enter the contest as heavy underdogs, as the team will again compete without quarterback Ryan Tannehill, who suffered an ankle injury in Week 15 against the Chargers. Backup quarterback Joshua Dobbs will start ahead of rookie Malik Willis.

With two weeks remaining in the regular season, the Cowboys have already clinched a spot in the playoffs and could still technically win the NFC East by winning out. The team defeated the Eagles last weekend to make this possible, but Philadelphia would also have to lose both of their remaining games, making this unlikely. Led by quarterback Dak Prescott and defensive star Micah Parsons, the Cowboys seem prepared to make a deep postseason run.

Meanwhile, with a 7-8 record, the Titans still have a chance to win the AFC South. They currently share the top spot with the Jaguars, who are favored to defeat the Houston Texans this weekend. Jacksonville and Tennessee will then face off in Week 18 in a game that will decide the division.

It’s not just Tennessee Titan fans who were haunted by the team’s 19-16 playoff loss to the Bengals—the game lived rent-free in quarterback Ryan Tannehill’s head for a while as well.

“It’s a deep scar,” Tannehill said of the loss in which he threw three interceptions. “Every time I closed my eyes I kind of rewatched the game. I didn’t get a whole lot of sleep for weeks. I was in a dark place, and it took me a while, a lot of work to get out of it.

“I’ve worked through it, but therapy, talking to people, time helped. It took a lot of work to get through it.”

He added that he’ll carry the loss with him for the rest of his life, but it will give him a “desire to win like he never had before.”

He’ll get the chance to get back to work and avenge that loss soon. When he does, he’ll get to practice with the quarterback the team just drafted in the third round (86th overall pick): Malik Willis. The veteran signal-caller had some interesting thoughts on the soon-to-be-rookie.

“I don’t think it’s my job to mentor him,” Tannehill said. “But if he learns from me along the way, that’s a great thing.”

Tannehill added his thoughts on the A.J. Brown trade:

“I was shocked,” he said. “When I first found out, I’m like, ‘This isn’t real, this isn’t happening, it’s a rumor.’ And then, I talked to A.J. and found out it was real. I slept terrible that night and kept thinking it was just a bad dream, but that’s where we’re at.”

The Philadelphia Eagles made a shocking acquisition on Draft night: a wide receiver … from the Tennesee Titans.

The Eagles acquired star receiver A.J. Brown, 24, who was in the final year of his rookie contract in Nashville, by trading out of their 18th and 101st overall picks. Brown’s four-year deal is good for $100 million with $57 million guaranteed. His new contract makes him the fourth-highest paid receiver in the league averaging $25 million per year, coming in after Tyreek Hill ($30M), Davante Adams ($28M) and DeAndre Hopkins ($27.25M).

Brown has emerged as one of the NFL’s most promising young talents. He was drafted by the Titans in the second round of the 2019 Draft and has totaled 2,995 receiving yards and 24 touchdowns over the past three seasons.

The Titians used the 18th pick to select Brown’s potential replacement, Treylon Burks out of Arkansas and will use the 101st pick to draft another player in the third round on Friday night.

The Tennessee Titans failed to place the franchise tag on outside linebacker Harold Landry before Tuesday’s deadline—they instead outdid that and signed him to an enormous five-year, $87.5 million extension with $52.5 million guaranteed.

The 25-year-old is set to receive $20.25 million in the first year of his contract, and his $17.5 million average salary snuggles nicely between the Buccaneers’ Shaquil Barrett ($17 million) and the Lions’ Trey Flowers ($18 million).

Starting all 17 games this past season, the 6-foot-2, 252-pound Boston College product notched career marks of 12 sacks, 75 tackles, 22 quarterback hits, and 43 pressures.

Landry arrived on the team via the second round of the 2018 draft.

Tennessee Titans linebacker Bud Dupree was cited for a misdemeanor assault charge following an altercation with an employee at a Walgreens in Nashville.

Nashville Police say the incident took place Sunday at approximately 8 p.m. local time after a verbal altercation between a 20-year-old male employee and some customers. The customers left and returned with Dupree, who grabbed the employee and his phone before a physical altercation took place.

“Due to the victim being assaulted, the defendant is being charged with assault-fear of bodily injury,” the MNPD said in a statement Tuesday.

Dupree, 28, must report for booking on the citation in three weeks.

Police add that the citation was issued after consultation with the district attorney’s office. Dupree and his attorney met with detectives Tuesday morning, while the attorney also met with detectives Monday.

The Titans issued a statement saying that they “are aware of the situation and are gathering additional information.”

Dupree is in his first season with the Titans after signing a five-year, $82.5 million contract as a free agent in March. He spent the first six years of his career with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Throughout his seven-year career, he has registered 245 tackles, 42.5 sacks, nine forced fumbles, and an interception over 91 games.