The Tennessee Titans have plenty of storylines leading the way as training camp rolls on, and one of them has been more surprising, to say the least. When the Titans hired Robert Saleh and traded for Jermaine Johnson, it immediately put 2025 second-round pick Femi Oladejo in an unfavorable position.
Robert Saleh made it blatantly obvious that his defense relies on constant rotation and fresh legs. Players like Jeffrey Simmons and Jermaine Johnson aren't even safe, so depth could not be more important to the success of Saleh's philosophy.
Enter Oladejo. The sophomore has had plenty of opportunities to earn a defensive role this training camp, and he's fully taken the bull by the horns.
Titans Edge Femi Oladejo's stock is rising ahead of preseason kickoff
The Titans had their Blue and White team scrimmage last Friday, and Oladejo put on a show at Nissan Stadium. Early in the scrimmage, Oladejo rammed through Cordell Volson to grab Tyjae Spears for a TFL on the goal line. Later in the scrimmage, he sacked Mitch Trubisky. Oladejo also impressed on Sunday's practice, in which he got to Cam Ward and forced a throw away, per Turron Davenport.
Clocking in at 6'3" and roughly 260 pounds, Oladejo is a tank of a human. His strength and athleticism are undeniable, and this is likely why run defense is his strength. His ability to drive linemen back and disrupt running lanes may earn him some positional flexibility, and Saleh certainly has to be pleased with what he has seen thus far.
Oladejo had a relatively quiet rookie season. He appeared in just six games, producing 13 tackles and failing to log a sack. But things could be changing in his second season.
The ability to rush the passer seems to be the biggest surprise thus far. After being designated as a Wide-9 pass rusher by Saleh a few months ago, it became evident that Oladejo would have to step up his pass-rush moves if he wanted to earn a role in this defense, and it seems he has done just that.
The Titans have their first preseason game against the 49ers this Thursday. Oladejo will likely get a handful of reps, and he will be one player to certainly keep an eye on. If he continues to find his way to the backfield, then Saleh may be forced to give him more opportunities come the regular season.
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