Courtney Jackson

Last year, the Titans were unable to trot out a receiving corps featuring talent and experience for rookie No. 1 overall pick Cam Ward. As a result, much of the appeal Ward brings to the game was limited. With a leaky offensive line, receivers that couldn’t always get open, and Ward’s care not to throw interceptions (only seven in Year 1), this led to held balls, resulting in league-worst numbers for sacks (55) and fumbles (11), and hasty decisions, leading to the third-worst completion percentage (59.8) for starters last year.

Tennessee continued work to address both the offensive line and receiving corps in the offseason and are hoping to see a Year 2 leap for their potential franchise QB, as a result. The team’s largest splurge in free agency secured former Giants wide receiver Wan’Dale Robinson, who caught at least 90 balls in each of the past two seasons and led New York with 1,014 receiving yards last year. The Titans’ big free agent acquisition from 2024, Calvin Ridley, appeared to be in danger of becoming a release candidate after a rough 2025 outing, but the veteran wideout agreed to a pay cut to keep him in Nashville.

Another big addition to the room came in the first round of this year’s draft, when Tennessee created shockwaves by selecting Ohio State’s Carnell Tate at No. 4 overall. Ward was able to get some decent production out of rookie pass catchers Chimere Dike, Elic Ayomanor, and (tight end) Gunnar Helm last year, and much more will be expected out of Tate in 2026. A receiver drafted in the top five picks should be expected to develop into a WR1, but lucky for Tate, the presence of top earners Robinson and Ridley should take some of that burden of expectation off his shoulders.

According to Titans senior writer/editor Jim Wyatt, no one generated more buzz than Tate in the offseason. While he delivered on some of the initial hype with some highlight plays, Tate was a bit quieter as Organized Team Activities came to a close, which is not uncommon as team’s often use those offseason periods to evaluate the depth and unproven assets of the roster. Robinson struggled to find chemistry with Ward early into spring ball, but Wyatt asserted that no receiver came out of Tennessee’s early offseason program with more momentum as he and Ward became better acquainted. Ridley was limited for much of the spring, as he is still working his way back to 100 percent.

For the second-year receivers, Dike and Ayomanor continued to show the effort and productivity that earned them big roles in the offense as rookies, but Wyatt reports that no receiver caught more passes in 7-on-7 work and team drills than Xavier Restrepo. Ayomanor led last year’s receiving corps in yards (515) and the first-team All-Pro returner, Dike, led in receptions (48). While both tied for the team lead with four touchdown receptions, Dike’s two punt returns for touchdowns gave him the team lead overall. Restrepo, an undrafted signee and Ward’s favorite target at Miami (FL), didn’t make his NFL debut until Week 11 as a practice squad elevation. Ward and Restrepo connected twice in that outing, and Restrepo was called up again the next week for a game in which he suffered a season-ending injury.

With Robinson, Tate, and Ridley presumed to be likely starters and last year’s starters, Ayomanor and Dike, sure to get plenty of run in rotation, Wyatt predicts only one more spot available on the Titans’ initial 53-man roster, with a few more available on the practice squad. Competing for that last spot with Restrepo has been veteran and fellow Hurricane K.J. Osborn, Bryce Oliver, Mason Kinsey, and undrafted rookies Hank Beatty and Tyren Montgomery. The team also rosters Courtney Jackson and Lance McCutcheon. Osborn offers the most experience, as demonstrated by a three-year stretch with the Vikings in which he totaled 158 catches for 1,845 yards and 15 touchdowns. Oliver and Kinsey offer special teams upside, while Beatty and Montgomery could continue developing on the taxi squad.

The fact that the top five spots are fairly secure and that the Titans are expecting a spirited competition for the WR6 spot is a major improvement from where the group stood a year ago. Assuming the result is better targets for Ward, the pressure will be on the sophomore passer to deliver and on Tennessee’s offensive line to keep him upright.