Titans may have quietly revealed their new offense with one hidden preseason shift

Offensive coordinator Brian Daboll may already be adjusting his offense around the Tennessee Titans’ personnel. The team’s final numbers from training camp showed that 43.5 percent of its listed receptions went to running backs and tight ends, giving sophomore quarterback Cam Ward higher-percentage options underneath.

That was especially clear during Tennessee’s final joint practice against the Chicago Bears. Tony Pollard made one of the best catches of camp, while Tyjae Spears finished second on the entire team throughout camp with 40 receptions. Both backs look ready to have a real role in the passing game.

The running backs were not the only group making plays. Gunnar Helm added a one-handed catch against the Bears, another sign that the tight ends could play an important role in Daboll’s offense.

Brian Daboll’s past shows how much personnel might change his Tennessee Titans offense

The aforementioned catches stood out, but the full camp totals tell a bigger story. The question is whether the 43.5 percent share was only a training-camp trend or a sign of what Daboll plans to carry into the regular season. His past offers a useful clue.

The closest comparison came from the 2022 New York Giants. Running backs and tight ends accounted for 42.3 percent of the team’s receptions, according to PFF’s receiving data. That is only 1.2 percentage points below the Titans' camp share.

That pattern was already visible before the regular season. According to PFF, running backs and tight ends accounted for 45.9% of the Giants’ preseason receptions, and 42.3% during the regular season. Daboll largely carried over the same approach.

But 2024 tells a different story. With Malik Nabers and Wan’Dale Robinson leading the Giants’ passing game, the running back and tight end share fell to 32.3 percent. That difference supports the idea that Daboll changes his offense to fit his personnel.

Daboll’s history with Robinson appears to be continuing with the Titans. Robinson finished sixth on the 2022 Giants with 30 targets, and he ranked third on the Titans this preseason with six targets.

For the Titans, that does not mean the wide receivers won’t be utilized. They can still attack outside while giving Ward dependable options underneath. They are currently carrying just five receivers on the active 53-man roster after waiving Xavier Restrepo.

That balance matters when a play breaks down. Ward may not have to force the ball outside every time. A running back or tight end underneath can give him a reliable answer and keep the offense moving.

Daboll’s history suggests he will give his quarterbacks the highest-percentage throw based on the personnel around him. That flexibility could become one of the Titans’ biggest offensive strengths this season.

Nobody should treat a training-camp percentage as a guarantee of what the offense will look like in the regular season. The exact percentage can change as the Titans face different defenses and game-plan for different situations.

But the 2022 Giants showed that Daboll can carry over the basic structure of his preseason offense. The exact percentage may change, but the Titans’ 43.5% camp share could be an early sign that running backs and tight ends will remain a major part of the passing game.

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