Titans’ OL Far From Set
The Titans’ offensive line is most likely set on the outside with right tackle JC Latham and left tackle Dan Moore Jr. returning from last year’s starting lineup, and they’ll be joined by left guard Peter Skoronski, who had a breakout 2025 campaign. After the Titans released center Lloyd Cushenberry III and allowing veteran guard Kevin Zeitler‘s contract to expire, though, the other inside spots are far less secure at this point.
According to ESPN’s Turron Davenport, former Bengals starter Cordell Volson and 2025 fifth-round pick Jackson Slater will battle for the starting right guard job. Volson presumably has the inside track on the job after spending nearly three years as a starter on the left side in Cincinnati. He shouldn’t have any issue switching sides since he started games at left tackle, right tackle, and right guard in his college years at North Dakota State.
Slater’s collegiate experience at Sacramento State came all on the left side, as did his only snaps on offense for the Titans in his rookie year, which all came in a meaningless Week 18 matchup. Davenport believes Day 3 additions from this year’s draft — fifth-round Arkansas guard Fernando Carmona and sixth-round Indiana center Pat Coogan — could also factor into the competition of this battle. Carmona started three years at left tackle in Fayetteville before making the move to left guard for the Razorbacks, and Coogan started a year at left guard for Notre Dame two years before transferring to the Hoosiers.
Tennessee also signed interior swingman Austin Schlottmann back in early March, but he appears to be the favorite to win the starting center job — even though he has never held an NFL role as a full-time starter. Over his eight years in the league, Schlottmann has only started 18 of 85 game appearances. He started six games at right guard and one at center over three years in Denver, seven games at center over the next two in Minnesota, and four games at center for the Giants last year after only appearing in one game in 2024.
Schlottmann’s competition for the center job is currently former Bengal Trey Hill and Coogan. Hill, originally a sixth-round pick himself, hasn’t started an NFL game since his rookie year in 2021 and has only appeared in one game in the past three seasons — a three-snap special teams appearance in 2024. Coogan is joining his third team in as many years after transferring from Notre Dame to Indiana for a championship run last year. Following his season at left guard, Coogan started a season at center for the Fighting Irish before snapping the ball for a year to the Heisman-winning No. 1 overall pick, Fernando Mendoza.
Despite Coogan’s success on paper, he was a Day 3 pick for a reason. With his general size and strength, he looks the part of an NFL center, but he projects as a backup early on, until he can be a bit more disciplined with his pad level. Hill has been relegated to a practice squad role in recent years, and it’s hard to picture him making Week 1 his first start in five years. The job appears to be Schlottmann’s at the moment.
The inside tracks for Volson and Schlottmann could be altered if the roster continues to change, and it doesn’t sound like the team is done making adjustments. Following the draft, Titans assistant general manager Dave Ziegler told the press (via Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk), “There’s a level of competition that’s still going to be taking place there…we’ll continue to look to improve. Free agency is over and the draft is over, but there’s still an element of different areas of the team we will continue to add competition to. Offensive line will be one of those positions.”
Having seen so little of a new group that has such limited experience, OC Brian Daboll is far from making any decisions. While he claims to like what he’s seeing from the guys that have come in and gotten to work so far, he knows they’re far away from playing meaningful football in pads, and they’ll learn more when those days come along. For now, they’ll continue to develop and compete, but concerning the starting five, “all that will play itself out come training camp,” as Daboll puts it.
Seahawks Were Wary Of 49ers’ Interest In RB Jadarian Price; Seattle Remains Open To Signing Dante Fowler
The Seahawks filled a major need in this year’s draft when they selected Notre Dame RB Jadarian Price with the last pick (No. 32 overall) of Day 1. Although they reportedly attempted to trade out of the first round — and, per ESPN’s Brady Henderson, the Titans (No. 35) and Giants (No. 37) were among the potential trade partners — the ‘Hawks felt comfortable selecting Price for a number of reasons (aside from his obvious talent as a runner and relatively low odometer reading).
As Henderson relays, Price’s character and willingness to eschew more lucrative NIL deals to remain with the Fighting Irish as Jeremiyah Love‘s backup — which Price says he did as a challenge to himself to earn a notable workload alongside Love, whom he called the best player in college football — contributed to GM John Schneider‘s decision to pull the trigger with his first-round selection.
Plus, Schneider was concerned the division-rival 49ers would nab Price at No. 33, and given the perceived gap between Price and the next tier of RBs in this year’s draft class, that would have been a bitter pill to swallow (Henderson says Schneider viewed Washington’s Jonah Coleman and Arkansas’ Mike Washington as Day 3 options if he was unable to land the former Golden Domer).
The Seahawks’ other realistic first-round target was San Diego State CB Chris Johnson, whom the Dolphins selected at No. 27. Seattle ultimately landed a cornerback prospect when it chose Julian Neal with the No. 99 pick, and it was Neal’s tackling ability that stood out. Riq Woolen, who defected to the Eagles in free agency, was not a sure and willing tackler, and the club hopes Neal will represent an upgrade in that regard and step into Woolen’s CB3 role.
Like Woolen, Dareke Young left the Seahawks in free agency, and Henderson suggests Emmanuel Henderson, the No. 199 pick, could take over for Young on Seattle’s special teams unit thanks to his ability to return and cover kicks. A different wide receiver the ‘Hawks were eyeing for a third phase role, Kentucky’s Kendrick Law, went to the Lions as the 168th pick.
Interestingly, some members of the organization valued fifth-round guard Beau Stephens more highly than Keylan Rutledge, who went to the Texans in the first round. Henderson confirms, as our Connor Byrne recently noted, that Seattle expects Stephens to push Anthony Bradford for the starting right guard spot in 2026.
The board was not as kind to Seattle with respect to pass rushers, as would-be targets like R Mason Thomas, Derrick Moore, and Jaishawn Barham went elsewhere. That leaves the Seahawks without a replacement for Boye Mafe, who signed with the Bengals in March. Dante Fowler, who visited Seattle last month and who remains unsigned, remains one of Schenider’s top options, per Henderson. The ESPN scribe had said in a prior report that Schneider could still sign a pass rusher, whether that’s Fowler or someone else.
2027 NFL Fifth-Year Option Tracker
May 1 marked the deadline for teams to decide on fifth-year options on 2023 first-rounders. The 2020 CBA revamped the option structure and made them fully guaranteed, rather than guaranteed for injury only. Meanwhile, fifth-year option salaries are now determined by a blend of performance- and usage-based benchmarks:
- Two-time Pro Bowlers (excluding alternates) will earn the same as their position’s franchise tag
- One-time Pro Bowlers will earn the equivalent of the transition tag
- Players who achieve any of the following will receive the average of the third-20th top salaries at their position:
- At least a 75% snap rate in two of their first three seasons
- A 75% snap average across all three seasons
- At least 50% in each of first three seasons
- Players who do not hit any of those benchmarks will receive the average of the third-25th top salaries at their position
PFR’s Offseason Outlook series examined each of these decisions in-depth. Twenty-two options were exercised this year. Here is how each team with an option decision proceeded with 2023 first-round contracts:
- QB Bryce Young, Panthers ($25.9MM): Exercised
- QB C.J. Stroud, Texans ($25.9MM): Exercised
- DE Will Anderson Jr., Texans ($21.51MM): Exercised
- QB Anthony Richardson, Colts ($22.48MM): Declined
- CB Devon Witherspoon, Seahawks ($21.16MM): Exercised
- LT Paris Johnson Jr., Cardinals ($19.07MM): Exercised
- DE Tyree Wilson, Saints ($14.48MM): Declined
- RB Bijan Robinson, Falcons ($11.32MM): Exercised
- DT Jalen Carter, Eagles ($27.13MM): Exercised
- RT Darnell Wright, Bears ($19.07MM): Exercised
- G Peter Skoronski, Titans ($19.07MM): Exercised
- RB Jahmyr Gibbs, Lions ($14.29MM): Exercised
- LB Lukas Van Ness, Packers ($13.75MM): Exercised
- LT Broderick Jones, Steelers ($19.07MM): Declined
- DE Will McDonald, Jets ($13.75MM): Exercised
- CB Emmanuel Forbes, Rams ($12.63MM): Declined
- CB Christian Gonzalez, Patriots ($18.12MM): Exercised
- LB Jack Campbell, Lions ($21.93MM): Declined
- DL Calijah Kancey, Buccaneers ($14.48MM): Exercised
- WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Seahawks ($23.85MM): Exercised
- WR Quentin Johnston, Chargers ($18MM): Exercised
- WR Zay Flowers, Ravens ($27.3MM): Exercised
- WR Jordan Addison, Vikings ($18MM): Exercised
- CB Deonte Banks, Giants ($12.63MM): Declined
- TE Dalton Kincaid, Bills ($8.16MM): Exercised
- DT Mazi Smith, Jets ($13.93MM): Declined
- RT Anton Harrison, Jaguars ($19.07MM): Exercised
- DE Myles Murphy, Bengals ($14.48MM): Declined
- DT Bryan Bresee, Saints ($13.93MM): Exercised
- LB Nolan Smith, Eagles ($13.75MM): Exercised
- DE Felix Anudike-Uzomah, Chiefs ($14.48MM): Declined
Minor NFL Transactions: 5/1/26
Here are Friday’s minor transactions:
Houston Texans
- Claimed off waivers (from Titans): DE Ali Gaye
After playing the past two seasons in Tennessee, Gaye is returning to the team that initially signed him as an undrafted free agent out of LSU. Gaye spent his first year in the league on the Texans’ taxi squad, and when he failed to make the initial 53-man roster in Year 2, the Titans claimed him off waivers. Playing in 15 games with Tennessee in 2024, he even notched his first career sack against C.J. Stroud. Gaye started 2025 on the Titans’ practice squad and was called up to the active roster in mid-October, but he ended up on the injured reserve by November with a knee injury that would hold him out of the remainder of the year.
Born in the Gambia, Gaye qualifies for the exemption afforded to players as part of the International Player Pathway Program. This means that, if he lands on the Texans’ practice squad again, he won’t count against the unit’s 16-player limit.
Titans Were Down To Carnell Tate, Arvell Reese At No. 4
MAY 4: Uncertainty about Reese’s positional fit in Saleh’s defense was a factor in passing on the Ohio State linebacker, per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. The team’s draft board reflected that concern with Tate ranked above Reese.
Still, the Titans may not have expected to be faced with that decision. Reese was long projected as a top-three pick, but the Jets and Cardinals went with David Bailey and Jeremiyah Love, respectively. Had Bailey fallen to Tennessee, the team may have opted for him or considered a trade back with the goal of adding either the Texas Tech edge rusher or Tate later in the top 10.
MAY 1: The Titans surprised many by taking Ohio State wide receiver Carnell Tate with the No. 4 overall pick of the 2026 NFL Draft, a move that significantly shook up the top 10.
Tennessee was widely expected to draft a top defender or Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love with their first pick. When the Cardinals took Love at No. 3, it seemed that new Titans head coach Robert Saleh was free to handpick a new star for his defense. Instead, the team went with Tate.
Their decision was multi-faceted. First was a different assessment of Tate’s athleticism than the public consensus. The Titans timed Tate’s 40-yard dash at the Combine “in the mid-4.4s” as opposed to his official time of 4.53 seconds, per Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer. In their eyes, that rounded out the profile of an otherwise complete wide receiver with a full route tree and excellent skills at the catch point.
Getting help for former No. 1 pick Cam Ward was also a priority, one that encouraged Tennessee to go with an offensive playmaker rather than a defensive one. Tate largely played second fiddle to Jeremiah Smith at Ohio State in 2025, which many evaluators saw as a negative – he could not even be the top target on his own team. The Titans, though, had a different takeaway: Tate would have a place in whatever offense they build over the next several years, whether it be as a WR1 or a versatile part of a deeper group.
Had Tate not been available, Breer adds, the Titans would have gone with his teammate, linebacker Arvell Reese. The team badly needs to strengthen their pass rush, especially at defensive end even after reuniting Saleh with Jets 2022 first-rounder Jermaine Johnson. Reese was projected to convert into an edge rusher in the pros, but he might been a better fit as a 3-4 outside linebacker than a defensive end in Saleh’s 4-3 scheme.
Tennessee also drafted Texas linebacker Anthony Hill Jr. in the second round and could deploy him in the role they envisioned for Reese. Hill has a slightly smaller frame and lacks the same bend and agility as Reese, but he could still be used creatively by Saleh.
The Titans’ decision highlights a false trend in the NFL: teams who hire a new head coach prioritize their side of the ball with their first draft picks. Despite the symbolism of such a move – letting a new leader select a prospect that fits his scheme, style, and culture – the process rarely plays out that way. General managers are still focused on value and following their draft board while incorporating coaches’ feedback.
This year, only four of the 10 teams with new head coaches used their first pick on the coach’s side of the ball. The Raiders drafted Fernando Mendoza for Klint Kubiak – though that likely would have been the case no matter who they hired – the Cardinals drafted Love for LaFleur, the Browns got both Spencer Fano and KC Concepcion for Todd Monken, and the Steelers got Max Iheanachor (instead of Makai Lemon) for Mike McCarthy.
But, just as the Jets went with quarterback Zach Wilson in 2021, Saleh’s first year in New York, the Titans went with a wide receiver who was the top-ranked player on their board. That is not to say Saleh was not on board for those picks, or that head coaches in general prioritize their side of the ball. Another new defensive head coach, Jesse Minter, urged general manager Eric DeCosta to select guard Vega Ioane over edge rusher Rueben Bain Jr., and the Jeff Hafley-led Dolphins took offensive lineman Kayden Proctor. In fact, there is an argument that the head coach’s expertise on one side of the ball means there should be more talent investment in the other.
At the end of the day, the Titans nabbed their desired prospect for their first pick in Tate, and Saleh still got a defensive lineman when the team traded back into the first round to select Auburn’s Keldric Faulk.
NFL Draft Pick Signings: 4/30/26
Today’s draft pick signings:
Baltimore Ravens
- WR Ja’Kobi Lane (third round, USC)
- TE Matthew Hibner (fourth round, SMU)
- CB Chandler Rivers (fifth round, Duke)
- TE Josh Cuevas (fifth round, Alabama)
- RB Adam Randall (fifth round, Clemson)
- P Ryan Eckley (sixth round, Michigan State)
- G Evan Beerntsen (seventh round, Northwestern)
Las Vegas Raiders
- S Treydan Stukes (second round, Arizona)
- G Trey Zuhn (third round, Texas A&M)
- RB Mike Washington (fourth round, Arkansas)
- S Dalton Johnson (fifth round, Arizona)
- CB Hezekiah Masses (fifth round, Cal)
- WR Malik Benson (sixth round, Oregon)
Philadelphia Eagles
- QB Cole Payton (fifth round, North Dakota State)
- S Cole Wisniewski (seventh round, Texas Tech)
- EDGE Keyshawn James-Newby (seventh round, New Mexico)
Seattle Seahawks
- CB Julian Neal (third round, Arkansas)
- G Beau Stephens (fifth round, Iowa)
- WR Emmanuel Henderson (sixth round, Kansas)
- CB Andre Fuller (seventh round, Toledo)
- DT Deven Eastern (seventh round, Minnesota)
- CB Michael Dansby (seventh round, Arizona)
Tennessee Titans
- G Fernando Carmona (fifth round, Arkansas)
- RB Nicholas Singleton (fifth round, Penn State)
- DT Jackie Marshall (sixth round, Baylor)
- C Pat Coogan (sixth round, Indiana)
- TE Jaren Kanak (seventh round, Oklahoma)
Minor NFL Transactions: 4/30/26
Today’s minor moves:
Denver Broncos
- Signed ERFA tender: S Devon Key
Indianapolis Colts
- Released: G Bill Murray
- Waived: DE Viliami Fehoko Jr., LB Joseph Vaughn
- Waived-injured: OT Jack Wilson
Las Vegas Raiders
- Released: LB Jamin Davis
San Francisco 49ers
- Waived: CB Tre Tomlinson
Tennessee Titans
- Waived: EDGE Ali Gaye, LB Nate Lynn, NT Isaiah Raikes, LB Cam Riley, G Clay Webb, RB Blake Watson
- Placed on Exempt/International Player list: DE David Ebuka Agoha
It wasn’t long ago that Jamin Davis was a first-round pick by the Commanders and appeared to be a foundational part of the team’s defense. The Kentucky product compiled 269 tackles and seven sacks through his first three NFL seasons, but the team wouldn’t commit to a fifth year, declining his option in 2024. He didn’t make it through that subsequent fourth year in Washington, getting cut in late October. Since then, the defender has bounced around the NFL a bit.
He spent last offseason with the Jets but didn’t make it to the regular season with the squad. He caught on with the Raiders and spent most of the year on the team’s practice squad. He made two appearances (one start) for Las Vegas, tallying three tackles in 16 defensive snaps. Now, the 27-year-old will look to revive his career elsewhere.
David Ebuka Agoha joined the Titans practice squad midway through the 2025 season, and he was retained via a reserve/futures contract after the season. With the team declaring him as an international player, he’ll no longer count on the team’s 90-man offseason roster.
Titans Sign 11 UDFAs
After adding eight players in the draft, the Titans have now added 11 players to their rookie class. The team announced the signing of the following undrafted free agents:
- Shad Banks, LB (UTSA)
- Hank Beatty, WR (Illinois)
- Sean Brown, LB (NC State)
- Bishop Fitzgerald, S (USC)
- Jeadyn Lukus, CB (Clemson)
- Latrell McCutchin, CB (Houston)
- Jalen McMurray, CB (Tennessee)
- Rasheed Miller, OT (Louisville)
- Tyren Montgomery, WR (John Carroll)
- Mani Powell, LB (Purdue)
- Aamil Wagner, OT (Notre Dame)
Bishop Fitzgerald got a chunk of money to join the Titans. Per Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 in Houston, the USC safety received a $20K signing bonus and had $247.5K of his salary guaranteed, giving him $267.5K in total guarantees. After starting his collegiate career at Coffeyville Community College, Fitzgerald joined NC State ahead of the 2023 campaign. He had a pair of standout seasons at the school, leading to him transferring to USC for the 2025 season. He earned a consensus All-American nod during his lone season with the Trojans, tallying 51 tackles and five interceptions.
After using the fourth-overall pick on wideout Carnell Tate, the Titans have now added two more rookies at the position. Hank Beatty spent four years at Illinois, but he truly started breaking out in 2024. He earned a third-team All-Big Ten nod in 2024 thanks to his special teams ability, as he led the conference with 14.1 yards per punt return. He earned another all-conference selection in 2025 thanks to his offensive ability, as he hauled in 70 catches for 864 yards and three touchdowns.
Tyren Montgomery has one of the more unique paths to the NFL. He was a basketball player at LSU but was forced to return home after only one semester. After competing in a flag football event in Las Vegas, he earned a walk-on gig with the Houston Cougars, but that didn’t come to fruition thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic. Montgomery subsequently sent his flag football tape to multiple schools, and he eventually got Nicholls State University to bite. He had to sit out the 2022 season due to eligibility reasons, but he finally saw the field in 2023, when he hauled in 12 catches.
With his D1 eligibility having run out, he caught on with the Division III John Carroll Blue Streaks, where he spent the past two seasons. He finished his first season with 57 catches for 1,071 yards and 17 touchdowns, and he followed that up with a 2025 campaign where he collected 119 catches for 1,528 yards and 15 touchdowns. That earned him an invite to the Senior Bowl, which helped put him on the NFL radar.
DT Jaleel Johnson Retires
Jaleel Johnson will not return to the NFL in 2026. The veteran defensive tackle has retired at the age of 31, KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson notes.
Johnson entered the league in 2017. He played out his rookie contract as a member of the Vikings, taking on a larger defensive workload with each passing season. Johnson operated as a full-time starter during his final Minnesota campaign, and his 654 snaps that season wound up being the most of his career during a single year.
During his first foray into free agency, Johnson joined the Texans on a one-year deal. He did not survive roster cuts but still wound up making 12 appearances with Houston in 2021. During the ensuing years, Johnson found himself bouncing on and off practice squads while serving in a depth capacity. The former fourth-rounder split his time between the Texans and Falcons in 2022.
That was followed by a brief stint with the Titans. Johnson spent the 2023 campaign in Tennessee, alternating between time on the active roster and the team’s practice squad. The Iowa product managed 12 games played that season, but he did not receive any contracts (or take any known visits with interested teams) after that point. Johnson remained unsigned deep into the spring, and with the draft now in the books he will not be seeking out an opportunity to land with a team during training camp, as was the case in 2024.
Despite never delivering standout production against the run or pass, Johnson amassed 90 combined regular and postseason appearances across a career which spanned seven years. He has officially retired with just over $5.5MM in total earnings.
Titans President Of Football Operations Chad Brinker Stepping Down
Titans President of Football Operations Chad Brinker is stepping down from his role, the team announced this evening. The 46-year-old spent the past three years in Tennessee’s front office.
“It has been an honor to serve as President of Football Operations of the Tennessee Titans,” Brinker said in his statement. “Over the years, I’ve understood and embraced my role as the leader of the football strategy, but as I’ve spent less time in personnel, I have a renewed conviction that it is time to return to what I love and move towards my next chapter. I’m grateful for Amy’s understanding in my decision, and for allowing me to pursue other opportunities.
“I’m proud of the work we’ve done over the past three years – under challenging circumstances – to begin the process of getting the Titans football organization back on track, not the least of which was last year’s general manager search. I believe the Titans have exceptional people and long-term stability at the general manager position and throughout the scouting department. While there is work to be done, I believe we’ve laid the foundation to restore the Titans to its rightful place as a sustainable, winning program.
“My family and I will always be grateful for Amy’s belief and trust in me, and for our time in Tennessee.”
Following a brief playing career that included a stint in NFL Europe, Brinker joined the Packers front office. He spent more than a decade with the organization, working his way up from a scouting intern to assistant director of pro scouting to eventually an administration executive gig.
Brinker left for the Titans in 2023, earning a promotion to assistant general manager under Ray Carthon. When the GM was ousted after only one season in Tennessee, Brinker was named the Titans president of football operations, a role in which he reportedly had full control of the team’s roster. The Titans website notes that he also reported directly to owner Amy Adams Strunk.
Brinker kept his title through the 2025 campaign, although the Titans did hire a true GM in Mike Borgonzi last offseason. Brian Callahan was fired six games into the regular season, and the two front office leaders were tasked with conducting a coaching search. The organization ultimately landed on Robert Saleh. Now only a few months into the head coach’s tenure, the team is seeing another significant change in leadership.
The Titans website notes that Brinker was widely credited with reshaping the organization’s analytic approach, and his apparent desire to return to “personnel” indicates that he wants a bit more from his front office role. Of course, there aren’t any teams reshaping their front offices at this point in the offseason, but perhaps Brinker could emerge as a GM candidate during next year’s cycle.