The Tennessee Titans' front office did many things right this offseason, including trading down and adding more picks during the 2025 NFL Draft. But if that move is going to pay off, the Titans have to rethink what they are doing with one of their rookies.
Mike Borgonzi and Chad Brinker wanted to add more picks to this rookie class, and they achieved that by moving down nearly 20 spots in the second round in exchange for a third-round pick. The goal of this move wasn't to make the team better in 2025; it was to help build a more complete depth chart with more young, talented players that could eventually become starters. With those picks, the team drafted EDGE Femi Oladejo and safety Kevin Winston Jr.
The early signs on both of those rookies were positive, with Oladejo being praised for his physicality and football IQ. Winston was flying around, making tackles, and making plays on the ball. However, it didn't take long for cold water to get splashed on the hype.
Titans rookie EDGE Femi Oladejo struggles in preseason debut
Winston hasn't practiced in nearly a week as he is dealing with soreness from his 2024 ACL injury, and Oladejo has been quieter since the pads came on at training camp. Fans were starting to get antsy about his lack of buzz, and Saturday's preseason opener crystallized these concerns when he looked overmatched in his 20 snaps despite playing against second and third-team offensive tackles.
Zach Lyons pointed out that Oladejo was so bad on Saturday that PFF credited him with a 0% win percentage as a pass rusher.
Considering how wet the field was, fans should be willing to give him a pass for his bad day, but it wasn't just one bad day. It was another bad day, and it reinforces the idea that the Titans shouldn't walk into the season with the intention of him being anything more than a role player.
Oladejo has only played EDGE for half of a football season after he converted from off-ball linebacker, so it should have been obvious that he needs time to learn the ins and outs of the position. There is no reason to sugarcoat this; if the Titans fill his plate too fast, it could actually stunt his development.
Oladejo has always been a long-term project, and the Titans need to give him just enough playing time for him to get some live reps without allowing him to be a liability on defense. There is still time to fix this mistake, and everyone in the Titans organization should urge Chad Brinker and Mike Borgonzi to go sign another EDGE to push Oladejo down the depth chart, or things could get worse before they get better.