The Tennessee Titans have far higher expectations for themselves in 2026. After enduring consecutive 3-14 seasons, the belief is that the roster is in a much healthier place now. With sophomore quarterback Cam Ward expected to take a leap, the Titans are a team on the come-up.
General manager Mike Borgonzi spent a league-leading amount of money in free agency, committing more than $310 million to a dozen-plus veteran signings. The Titans are expecting to be competitive. They'll need new additions and in-house talents to make positive contributions in 2026.
Unfortunately, that doesn't mean the outlook for every Titans player is positive heading into 2026. Some returning in-house talents are trending towards potentially having a disappointing season. The following four players appear primed for a letdown campaign.
4 Tennessee Titans players who might disappoint fans in 2026
Tyjae Spears, RB
Running back Tyjae Spears was a positive performer throughout OTAs and minicamp. It's a promising start for a talented back who has missed a combined nine games over the previous two seasons and failed to average more than 3.9 yards per carry in either campaign. Recurring injuries have been a real problem for Spears. The offseason has provided renewed hope for the speedy scatback, but health and consistency have eluded him in recent years.
Femi Oladejo, EDGE
If there's one early blemish on Borgonzi's otherwise impressive 2025 draft class, it's second-round pick Femi Oladejo. The raw pass rusher recorded zero sacks as a rookie and suffered a season-ending injury before the halfway mark. Oladejo also missed key team reps at OTAs and minicamp while continuing to nurse an injury. A huge sophomore season looms, and the offseason is off to an uneasy start.
Calvin Ridley, WR
The Titans restructured Calvin Ridley's contract earlier this offseason as opposed to outright releasing him. They also signed Wan'Dale Robinson to a $70 million contract and drafted Carnell Tate No. 4 overall. Ridley is competing for reps with sophomores Elic Ayomanor and Chimere Dike, and the rebuilding Titans have reasons to invest in their development. He'll also turn 32 in December and is coming off a serious season-ending injury.
Jackson Slater, RG
Everyone expects and hopes to see sophomore Jackson Slater win the right guard job. He's in an offseason competition with free-agent addition Cordell Volson. Slater is extremely inexperienced after essentially playing one game last season. Meanwhile, Volson is a 48-game NFL starter at guard. Fans assume this position battle is settled, but that's far from accurate.
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