The Titans have added some key new pieces to the offensive line in free agency this offseason after using first-round selections on the unit in the two previous drafts. The hope is for the group to give their rookie quarterback, Cam Ward, the best opportunity to flourish with a mediocre group of skill position players surrounding him.
QB: Cam Ward
Ward has the arm and athleticism to keep plays alive. However, he relies too heavily on his abilities at times and makes a bad situation worse by throwing back across his body and wildly slinging the ball sidearm into traffic. There’s a reason why the Titans had the #1 overall pick to select Ward. Their 3-14 record wasn’t solely on the quarterback play last season.
RB: Tony Pollard
After averaging 5.1 ypc and 8.3 ypr over his first 4 years in the NFL as a complementary back in Dallas, he’s fallen back down to earth with 4.1 ypc and 5.7 ypr over the last 2 years as the lead back (1 in DAL & 1 in TEN).
RB: Tyjae Sharpe
Sharpe’s ypc fell from 4.5 in 2023, when he was benefiting from Derrick Henry beating down defenses to 3.7 ypc with Pollard as the lead back in ‘24. Pollard’s addition also led to Sharpe’s targets being cut in half from 70 as a rookie to 35 last season.
RB: Kalel Mullings
Mullings’ selection in the draft gives the Titans a big, downhill runner. There’s no glitz and no glamour with Mullings. He’ll look to immediately get upfield, only making moves that put him in position to get through the hole and North/South as quickly as possible, and ends by falling forward.
WR: Calvin Ridley
Through 6 NFL seasons, Ridley’s catch rate has dropped every single season, from 69% as a rookie to 53% last year. Even as the clear-cut No. 1 WR in the offense, his ceiling is nothing more than 1,000 yards and 6 TDs.
WR: Tyler Lockett
The Titans brought in a 30-year old Tyler Boyd last season. Boyd had one of his worst seasons. This year it’s another aging Tyler at receiver that joins the group with the 32-year old Lockett who is coming off his worst season since 2017. Lockett’s abilities are on the decline but still good enough to be the 2nd-best option for Ward among receivers.
WR: Van Jefferson
Through 6 NFL seasons, Jefferson has 1 year (2021) in which he’s recorded more than 25 receptions, 400 receiving yards and 3 TDs. He’ll be competing with Elic Ayomanor from this year’s draft for playing time behind Ridley and Lockett.
WR: Elic Ayomanor
Ayomanor at 6’2 and 206 pounds will lead the group of receivers behind the top 2 receivers on the roster with the rookie quarterback utilizing his ability on slants and stops underneath. Ayomanor has the ability to show his numbers quickly and the speed to create after the catch.
TE: Chig Okonkwo
Over the last 2 seasons, Okonkwo has averaged 53 receptions, 500 receiving yards and 1.5 TDs. In his last 3 games of December 2024, he averaged 7 receptions for 60 yards on 79% catch rate. Mason Rudolph was the QB for all or the majority of those 3 games.
TE: Gunnar Helm
The 4th-round rookie tight end, Helm gives Ward another big target in the passing game. The 6’5, 240 pounder could be a high-percentage target underneath with the backs and Okonkwo.
BREAKOUT PLAYER: Chig Okonkwo
In a limited window with Rudolph as QB instead of Levis, Okonkwo showed that he should be provided with a bigger role. Due to the lack of elite threats in the Titans offense and Okonkwo being a high-percentage target underneath, expect him to be utilized more with Ward.
BUST: Tony Pollard
Less is more for Pollard, both as a rusher and a receiver. Pollard is a mediocre rusher when carrying the ball 250+ times on the season and catching 40+ passes. It’d make more sense to limit his touches and get more efficiency out of him while allowing Sharpe to increase his receiving role and Mullings to take on a lot of the short yardage, goal line, and physical inside runs.
SLEEPER: Elic Ayomanor
Ward will rely heavily on his underneath, quick options as a rookie. He’ll have the backs, Pollard and Sharpe, along with tight ends, Okonkwo and Helm but at receiver it’ll be the big 6’2 rookie, Ayomanor that he’ll build instant chemistry with on quick slants and stops.
BOLD PREDICTION: Kalel Mullings
When Tennessee limits Pollard’s touches on the ground, the biggest beneficiary will be the rookie Mullings. He will rack up the goal line carries and finish his rookie season with 6+ TDs on the ground.
