Tennessee Titans fans are waiting for the team to make another move at EDGE this offseason, but it might not be the splash they expect for one simple reason.
When you look at a depth chart, it looks like the Titans only have four NFL-caliber EDGEs in Jermaine Johnson, Femi Oladejo, Jacob Martin, and Jaylen Harrell. Outside of Johnson, no one on that list seems like someone who is ready to make a significant impact on this defense, although the Titans coaches have mentioned Oladejo several times this offseason.
If that is true, then it stands to reason that EDGE is going to be the selection at No. 4 overall if the Titans don't draft Jeremiyah Love with their first-round pick. While that could still be true, astute fans have pointed out that there is an important name being left off of the previous list of EDGEs.
Based on how John Franklin-Myers has been used in the past, many have speculated that he will be playing like an EDGE on early downs, and then he will shift inside on passing downs to rush the passer. That was just an educated opinion until Robert Saleh basically confirmed it during the NFL owners' meetings on Tuesday.
Titans HC Robert Saleh confirms theory about John Franklin-Myers
John Franklin-Myers is about to be one of Robert Saleh’s favorite weapons pic.twitter.com/xCnq33jzvJ
— AtoZ Sports Nashville (@AtoZSports) March 31, 2026
Saleh says,
"John eliminates the run game on his side of the ball. We will put him on the edge outside. If he is on the solid side of the tight end, in our mind that is going to end any run game to his side. On pass downs, if you look at the last five years or so he is one the top interior pass rushers in all of football and has been for a while...his inside-out versatility on first and second down, and third down, adds tremendous value."
It doesn't get any clearer than that. The Titans' head coach and the defensive play caller has confirmed they plan to use Franklin-Myers as an EDGE on early downs and then let him pin his ears back and rush the passer on third down.
Not only does that lessen the need for an EDGE, but it also increases the likelihood that the team could go in another direction with the fourth pick, whether that means taking Love or another non-premium position player. It could even mean trading down to accumulate more picks and maximize their draft capital.