OTAs started on Monday for the Tennessee Titans, and it is the first time that all (or nearly all) of the team's starters and key rookies are going to be together working on team drills like 7-on-7 and 11-on-11.
It will be exciting to monitor how much Carnell Tate and Cam Ward do together, but fans should have their eyes and ears trained on different players. Despite how exciting that connection will be, this is going to be the last chance for the Titans' front office and coaching staff to take a look at young players who need to be a bigger part of the roster this year.
Mike Borgonzi's mantra is "draft and develop," but if the players aren't developing, then this team can't sit by and let them derail the 2026 season. No one should suggest that these players are cut candidates, but the reality is that if they aren't impressing in OTAs, then the team is doing itself a disservice by not bringing in capable veterans to openly compete in training camp.
Tennessee Titans: 4 players with something to lose at OTAs
Jackson Slater
After last season, rumors emerged suggesting that Slater was going to compete for the center job in 2026. That doesn't appear likely after the team brought in Austin Schlottman and then drafted Pat Coogan. That means Slater is going to play right guard, but the indecision around him and a new coaching staff might push them to look hard at the interior offensive line market if he doesn't look like a solid bet in OTAs.
Tyjae Spears
Spears has always been a dynamic running back, but now the Titans have drafted Nick Singleton to be that guy. If the team is worried that Spears can't hold up for a whole season, or if he isn't in peak form at OTAs, the Titans could look at how to move on at that position without him.
Elic Ayomanor
Ayomanor is going to make this Titans roster, but the question is, where? He is a boundary receiver, but when you rewatch 2025, he doesn't stand out, and now the Titans have brought in Tate and Wan'Dale Robinson. At times, he was the best of a bad bunch at receiver, but that had less to do with him and more to do with the injuries and talent issues that plagued that position. Can he prove that he is taking the next step and become more than Nick Westbrook-Ikhine 2.0?
Femi Oladejo
The Titans didn't seem to want to take a chance on position convert Arvell Reese in the 2026 NFL Draft, and Oladejo was not very good as a rookie when he converted from a former off-ball linebacker to EDGE. While the position lacks star talent, EDGE is deep for the Titans, but he needs to stand out or risk being lost in the shuffle and becoming just another name on that depth chart. They want him to be a fast, upfield, explosive player, and if he can't be that, then they need to scour the veteran market for an EDGE who wants to get after the quarterback.
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