Projecting Tennessee Titans' 53-man roster after training camp Week 1
Every Sunday through the end of Tennessee Titans training camp, The Tennessean will make projections about what the Titans' 53-man roster or depth chart will end up looking like when their 2024 NFL season begins on Sept. 8 against the Chicago Bears. Following the first week of training camp practices, we make predictions about the 53-man roster, which players are on the bubble and which position groups have the most and least depth.
Projecting Tennessee Titans: Offense
Quarterbacks (3): Will Levis, Mason Rudolph, Malik Willis
Any questions? Not really. Willis is playing well enough to earn a spot as a No. 3 passer, even if he never pushes Rudolph for the backup job.
Running backs (3): Tony Pollard, Tyjae Spears, Hassan Haskins
Any questions? Haskins feels like a fair lock for the No. 3 spot right now, but can Julius Chestnut or Jabari Small earn their way on to the squad as a No. 4 rusher?
Wide receivers (6): DeAndre Hopkins, Calvin Ridley, Tyler Boyd, Treylon Burks, Nick Westbrook-Ikhine, Jha'Quan Jackson
Any questions? Plenty. Mason Kinsey is ahead of Jackson on the receiver depth chart right now and feasibly could make it as a seventh option. As could Kyle Philips or Kearis Jackson if they win the punt return job over Jha'Quan Jackson. But it's also conceivable the Titans carry only five receivers if Jha'Quan Jackson doesn't pose a significant upgrade on special teams, because he hasn't emerged as a real receiving threat quite yet. Still, it's early.
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Tight ends (4): Josh Whyle, Chig Okonkwo, Nick Vannett, Thomas Odukoya
Any questions? Can this finally be the year Odukoya makes it on to the big roster? Do the Titans need to carry four tight ends, or will they be content with the three with pro experience? Consider Odukoya the "last man in" in these projections.
Offensive line (9): JC Latham, Peter Skoronski, Lloyd Cushenberry III, Saahdiq Charles, Nicholas Petit-Frere, John Ojukwu, Leroy Watson IV, Daniel Brunskill, Dillon Radunz
Any questions? Jaelyn Duncan could be the odd man out based on early practice returns. The battle between Duncan, Ojukwu, Watson and Geron Christian for the swing tackle spot will be intense, particularly because of Radunz's versatility as a guard who can play tackle.
Projecting Tennessee Titans roster: Defense and special teams
Interior defensive line (5): Jeffery Simmons, Sebastian Joseph-Day, T'Vondre Sweat, Marlon Davidson, Keondre Coburn
Any questions? Let's not count out TK McLendon Jr. making the squad for a second straight year, especially because he can play more of a traditional defensive end role more naturally than just about anyone else on the roster. Whether that means replacing Coburn or Davidson or coming on as a sixth option depends on roster makeup and value.
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Edge defenders (4): Harold Landry III, Arden Key, Rashad Weaver, Shane Ray
Any questions? Does Ray's presence mean doom for rookie seventh-round pick Jaylen Harrell before his career ever gets started? What about last year's holdovers Thomas Rush and Caleb Murphy — particularly Rush, who has earned a few significant reps this week.
Inside linebacker (6): Kenneth Murray II, Jack Gibbens, Cedric Gray, Otis Reese IV, Garret Wallow, Chance Campbell
Any questions? Too many to count. Can rookie James Williams make the squad? Do Reese, Wallow and Campbell beat out Luke Gifford for special teams reps? Could the Titans get by with as few as four players here, or feel the need to expand to seven or eight? This logjam won't be cleared up until one or two preseason games provide some resolution.
Defensive back (10): L'Jarius Sneed, Chidobe Awuzie, Roger McCreary, Amani Hooker, Elijah Molden, Jamal Adams, Jarvis Brownlee Jr., Tre Avery, Gabe Jeudy-Lally, Mike Brown
Any questions? If Awuzie starts the year injured, does this free a space back up for Caleb Farley or Eric Garror? The Farley saga is tough to unspool as is, but do Adams' talents as a slot corner, in addition to his safety duties, make it more likely the Titans keep Farley around as an extra option at outside corner over someone like Garror, who makes more sense exclusively in the slot?
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Specialists (3): Nick Folk, Ryan Stonehouse, Morgan Cox
Any questions? If Stonehouse is as healthy as he appears, nope. If there are any setbacks, though, sure, Ty Zentner could handle the spot for a couple of weeks.
Nick Suss is the Titans beat writer for The Tennessean. Contact Nick at nsuss@gannett.com. Follow Nick on X, the platform formerly called Twitter, @nicksuss.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Titans football: Projecting 53-man roster after training camp Week 1