Before Mike Borgonzi was the Tennessee Titans' GM, he was a scout who worked his way up through the front office of the Kansas City Chiefs. During his tenure, he was part of the staff that drafted Patrick Mahomes and developed a championship-caliber roster around him. That experience helped shape Borgonzi.
One shocking thing about the process of building a team around Mahomes was that the front office didn't spend the next season surrounding him with weapons and protection. Instead, they spent five of their six picks in the 2018 NFL Draft on defense, and the one pick they spent on offense was a sixth-round receiver.
Everyone is looking at how the Titans can support Cam Ward in the best way possible, which has led to countless conversations on Jeremiyah Love, Carnell Tate, and countless other weapons throughout the 2026 NFL Draft.
However, everyone is overlooking what Borgonzi did the last time he was in a front office building around a promising rookie quarterback.
Mike Borgonzi's history indicates Titans could go defense-heavy in NFL Draft
No one is saying Ward will be Mahomes, but the two do share a similarity in that they are playmakers who can extend plays and put a strain on defenses with off-platform ability. Some coaches and front office members look at those kinds of players as unique individuals who can make up for mistakes and shortcomings on offense. If that is how Borgonzi views Ward, then the goal could be to give him a championship-caliber defense to make sure they hold up their end of the deal.
While the Titans' offensive supporting cast isn't anything special, it isn't as bad as it has been in years past. With a competent mind running it in Brian Daboll, maybe the combination of Ward, Calvin Ridley, Wan'Dale Robinson, Gunnar Helm, Tony Pollard, Tyjae Spears, Elic Ayomanor, and Chimere Dike is enough to keep the offense moving in 2026.
You won't have to twist Robert Saleh's arm to go heavy on defense in this draft, and if the Titans were able to hit on multiple defensive starters in this class, this defense could become one of the best in the NFL very quickly.
With non-elite quarterbacks like Sam Darnold and Jalen Hurts winning Super Bowls in back-to-back seasons thanks to elite defenses, maybe a draft class full of defensive stars really is the avenue back to success for the Titans?
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