The Tennessee Titans' offseason has been centered around the decision to select franchise quarterback Cam Ward at No. 1 overall in the 2025 NFL Draft. General manager Mike Borgonzi wants the Titans to be a draft-and-develop team. That's precisely why Ward was at the forefront of Borgonzi's acquisitions.
Besides left tackle Dan Moore Jr., the Titans were not big spenders in free agency. Instead, Borgonzi focused on finding temporary veteran solutions to buy the Titans more time to find long-term replacements via the draft. Offseason acquisitions like Dre'Mont Jones, Kevin Zeitler, Lorenzo Carter, Van Jefferson, and even Xavier Woods are all arguably one-year solutions.
The Titans are wisely taking a patient approach. That could come with growing pains. Because of that, Pro Football Focus was left unimpressed with the Titans' offseason, recently assigning them a "C-plus" letter grade.
Titans earn C+ offseason grade from Pro Football Focus
"The Titans paid big money for Dan Moore Jr. and Cody Barton in free agency," Trevor Sikkema wrote. "Moore finished 2024 with a 67.2 PFF overall grade in Pittsburgh, while Barton earned a 63.7 mark with the Broncos. They drafted quarterback Cam Ward at No. 1 overall, but that was easy. The rest of Tennessee's draft felt up and down for value. The team is better by default with Ward, but their offseason was still lacking."
The Titans certainly earned some flack for giving Moore Jr. a four-year contract worth $82 million in free agency. PFF blamed Moore Jr. for allowing a league-high 12 sacks and 41 pressures. The Titans believe removing him from the AFC North will help improve his metrics. It's also worth noting even with those numbers, he represents a significant upgrade on what the Titans have received at tackle from Andre Dillard, Dennis Daley, and Nicholas Petit-Frere in recent years.
The Titans are coming off an NFL-worse 3-14 record. They have a first-year GM who prioritized culture and leadership in free agency. The Titans believe they have a legitimate franchise QB in Ward. They're going to patiently rebuild around Ward while avoiding spending aimlessly and unnecessarily (like Ran Carthon did last offseason).
The Titans are foregoing instant gratification in pursuit of long-term success. That comes with lackluster offseason grades from national media who have yet to comprehend the long-term vision.