Breaking Down the 2025 Tennessee Titans

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Quick Snapshot

Record: 0–1 to start the 2025 season.
Last season (2024): 3–14, worst in the franchise since 2015.
Big changes in roster, leadership, and identity heading into 2025.

Key Changes & Moves

New Quarterback Situation
- Will Levis, who had been the starter for much of 2024, underwent season‐ending shoulder surgery and will miss all of 2025.
- The Titans used the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft on Cam Ward (QB from Miami). He’s now the starter.
Front Office / Coaching
- Mike Borgonzi is now the GM. 2025 is his first full season.
- Head Coach is Brian Callahan, going into his second year. After a rough first season, expectations include growth, establishing culture, and seeing whether Callahan can get more out of the team.
Uniforms / Branding Kick
- Titans are re‐emphasizing their “Titans blue” (light blue) as primary at home, tapping into tradition and fan sentiment.
- Defense Extensions & Commitments
- One of the more stable spots: Safety Amani Hooker got a 3‐year extension (~$48.6 million), showing the team’s faith in at least parts of their defensive core.

Strengths & Opportunities

Youth & Fresh Faces: With Cam Ward leading, there’s a chance for a reset. If he progresses well, the upside could be meaningful. The team looks forward rather than trying to patch up old weaknesses.
Defensive Core: Players like Hooker provide stability. The defense might be the more consistent side early, especially against teams with inexperienced offenses.
Fanbase Engagement/Identity: The branding shifts, uniform changes, etc., don’t directly win games—but they help with morale, buy-in, and building momentum.

Challenges & Risks

Rookie QB Growing Pains: Ward is unproven in regular-season NFL games. Mistakes, pressure, and inconsistency are likely as he adjusts.
Depth and Supporting Cast: The WR room is viewed as shallow by some observers. If one or two guys get shut down by defenses, the offense could stall.
Offensive Line Concerns / Run Game: With such changes, establishing a run game and clean pockets is crucial. If the OL struggles, Ward will be under a lot of pressure.
Division Toughness & Expectations: The AFC South has some teams that are improving. 2025 won’t be an easy slate. The margin for error is small when rebuilding.

What to Watch Moving Forward

How Cam Ward handles adversity — mistakes, turnovers, 3 & outs. His poise under pressure will tell a lot.
Offensive identity — will the Titans lean on the run, develop a safe short-passing game, or try to stretch the field quickly?
Injury health — especially with younger players and new starters. Depth will get tested.
Defensive continuity — getting pressure on QB, forcing turnovers, and being strong in pass coverage will be how this defense stays competitive.
Roster management through the season — trades, cuts, adjustments will show how aggressive management is in trying to get back to the playoffs.

Verdict

The Titans are in a rebuild/retool phase. After one of their worst seasons in recent memory, they’ve shaken things up: new QB, new GM, attempts to rekindle identity. It may be another rough patch early, but there’s reason for cautious optimism if the young guys make progress and if the coaching staff can maximize what they have. This year is likely more about laying groundwork than making AFC championship pushes.

Key Players & Evaluations

Below are some of the more prominent starters/contributors, grouped by offense, defense, and special teams, with what’s working and what concerns to watch.

Offense

Player	What’s Good	What’s Concerning / What Needs Work
Cam Ward (QB, Rookie, No. 1 pick)	– Drafted first overall; brings size, arm talent, mobility, and a track record in college that generated major expectations. – Showed poise in debut: handled adversity, managed the environment, handled blitz/pressure to some degree. Coach Brian Callahan noted positives in his pocket presence and decision-making under pressure (even if the outcome wasn’t great). – No interceptions in debut; some flashes of good downfield vision.	– Very rough first game statistically: completion percentage, sacks (6), limited yardage, no touchdowns. – Protection has been problematic; offensive line issues put him under pressure often. Timing and anticipation need refinement. Needs quicker reads to avoid negative plays. – Receivers / supporting cast have to step up: drops, separation issues, etc. – Rookie learning curve is steep; converting red zone / third-down opportunities remains a major focus.
Tony Pollard (RB)	– Seems to be productive early: led team in rushing yards in the opener, showing he can get positive yardage even when the situation is difficult. – Versatility: ability to receive out of the backfield, help move chains.	– Needs more consistency / big plays. If pass protection or scheme breaks down, RBs suffer. – Workload management: they’ll need others to lighten the load. Julius Chestnut, Tyjae Spears, etc. will need to contribute.
Calvin Ridley (WR)	– Veteran presence. Capable of separation and making contested catches. Good target for Ward and the passing game. – Provides leadership to a WR group that has some younger or less proven pieces.	– Health, consistency gaps possible: making plays when opportunity arises, but needs to avoid drops, miscues; his impact is less when pass protection or QB accuracy is off. – Needs chemistry with Ward; route timing will be different with the rookie QB.
Tyler Lockett (WR)	– Reliable, experienced, good hands. It can be a safety valve, which often finds space. – Helps stretch the field and keeps defenses honest.	– May not be explosive as in earlier years; age/wear might limit his ceiling. – Must stay healthy. In a struggling offense, a meltdown in the pass game puts more burden on WRs to create separation.
Chig Okonkwo (TE)	– Good option in the intermediate game. Tight ends often help young QBs because they are security blankets. – Help in run blocking and as a checkdown option.	– Needs to be more consistent as a blocker and in maintaining separation vs linebackers/safeties. – Not yet proven as a high-volume receiving threat in the NFL; more big snaps or impact catches needed.
Julius Chestnut / Depth-RBs	– Julius Chestnut has shown value, especially on special teams (returns) and when given touches. Depth is crucial. – Other backs will need to produce to keep the offense balanced.	– RB depth probably still a weak spot: if Pollard gets limited or injured, drop-off could be steep. – Return effectiveness and ball security are important; mistakes in returns hurt momentum.
Offensive Line (JC Latham, Kevin Zeitler, Peter Skoronski, etc.)	– There is talent here. Kevin Zeitler is a proven veteran who helps anchor the interior. Skoronski was drafted high and is expected to grow. – When protection holds, Ward can make reads, etc.	– Pass protection was very weak in game 1: multiple sacks, lots of pressure. CJ Latham being injured/limited is a concern. – Run blocking under pressure; cohesion among the line is still developing. – Adjustments needed vs edge pressure.

Defense & Special Teams

Player	What’s Good	What’s Concerning / What Needs Work
Amani Hooker (Safety)	– Extension signed (3 years / ~$48.6M) indicates Titans believe in him as part of the defensive core. – Coming off a strong 2024 season: good number of interceptions, tackles, plays made. – Positional awareness and ball skills are strengths.	– Needs help around him: weak links in coverage or pressure can expose safeties. – Consistency over 17+ games: health, tackling reliability, and avoiding mental errors are always key in the secondary.
Jeffery Simmons (Defensive Tackle)	– One of the top defensive linemen in the Titans’ lineup. Strong pass rusher from the interior; disrupts pocket. Deep strength of the defense. – Physicality, consistency in run/pass recognition are pluses.	– Workload/injuries: as with all interior linemen, risk of wear. – Opposing OLs will game-plan to keep him blocked, double-teams; he needs a supporting cast to free him up.
T’Vondre Sweat (DT)	– Young, strong, making an impact early (rookie last year). Played every game in 2024, started many, put pressure, and was recognized on the All-Rookie Team. – Good in run defense; helps anchor middle.	– Pass rush numbers are modest so far; needs more consistency generating pressure vs NFL QBs. – May be less tested in 2025; offenses will scheme to avoid him. Depth at DT matters.
Cody Barton (LB), James Williams (LB), others in the linebacking corps	– Barton is experienced, good at tackling, and a leader on defense. – Williams showed promise as a rookie; his athleticism and versatility matter in sub-packages. – Depth is being built; rotation should help in wear & fatigue situations.	– Linebackers need to be better in pass coverage, especially vs tight ends/backs in flats. – In blitz-heavy or pressure situations, you will need to avoid being overrun or missing assignments. – Defensive communication with new or less experienced members must be tight.
Secondary (Cornerbacks, Safeties beyond Hooker)	– Xavier Woods, Quandre Diggs, etc., bring experience. Some good plays already (e.g., an interception shown in stats). – Able to force turnovers, especially when the pass rush disrupts.	– Pass defense is under pressure, especially when QBs scramble or speed gets to them. – Depth matters: injuries, matchups vs elite WR groups will test them. – Zone vs man decision-making, giving up big plays if coverage breaks.
Special Teams (Kicker, Returners, Punter, etc.)	– Joey Slye got points in the opener; Chimere Dike had a big kickoff return in game 1, which provided field position help. – If the returner can consistently flip field, that helps offset offensive struggles.	– Need consistency: missed kicks, field position errors, and penalties on special teams often swing close games. – Risk of turnovers or mistakes is always higher when the offense is stalling; special teams must stay clean.

First Game Takeaways & What That Means Going Forward

The Titans’ offensive line needs to improve rapidly. Protection breakdowns in game 1 (six sacks on Ward) were costly. If that continues, both morale and offensive production suffer.
Ward showed flashes, but there were many mistakes—not all his fault. Receivers dropped passes; protection was spotty; penalties hurt momentum. The defense did well enough to give the offense opportunities; the offense must do more with them.
On defense, forcing turnovers and holding Denver to 20 points was relatively encouraging, even if the offense couldn’t match. That suggests the defensive foundation (especially with veterans like Hooker, Simmons, DTs, etc.) can be competitive.
Depth will be tested: injuries (e.g., JC Latham’s absence) expose weaker spots. The Titans have several young/less proven players who must step up.

Projection: Who Might Rise & Who Might Struggle

Likely to Rise	Likely to Struggle / Need Improvement
Cam Ward (if coached properly, given time) – his upside is big if he adapts to speed, improves decision times, and handles pressure.	Offensive Line cohesion & pass protection: if that doesn’t get better, Ward will continue to be under siege. WR group beyond the top few is likely inconsistent; drops or inability to separate will limit big plays.
Defensive front (Simmons, Sweat) – generating interior pressure is a strength. Amani Hooker / secondary veterans stepping up. Role players (James Williams, etc.) with the opportunity to make noise.	Red zone offense & third-down conversions are likely weak spots. Guarding against mental mistakes, penalties, and ball security. Consistency over extended stretches—many young pieces will have peaks and valleys.