Immediately after Tennessee TItans general manager Mike Borgonzi traded up in the second round of the 2026 NFL Draft to draft an athletic, high-ceiling player who seemed like the prototypical Robert Saleh linebacker, the future of Titans' current MIKE linebacker Cody Barton became murky. Barton was signed just last offseason to be the green-dot leader of the linebacker group, but an underwhelming first season, a meteoric rise by a teammate, and the acquisition of Anthony Hill Jr. in the draft may mean his Titans tenure could be short.
In the past, having three high-quality, starting-caliber off-ball linebackers was a good thing. In the modern NFL, in which base defense is strictly for first down and teams are in nickel personnel most of the time, it might be one starter too many. Saleh, in particular, is known for his brilliance in running the Cover 3 "Seattle Scheme," in which two linebackers need to be athletic and versatile, with the ability to quickly diagnose a play, attack downhill, run sideline-to-sideline, and drop into coverage, based on what the offense presents them.
Following a breakout sophomore campaign in 2026, Cedric Gray already has one of those two spots locked up. While Saleh and company may not think of linebackers in the traditional categories of MIKE, WILL, and SAM, one player will still need to wear the green dot. Gray is an ideal WILL and not a likely candidate for this.
That means the primary competition is between Barton and Hill, two players with very different athletic profiles and levels of experience.
Titans rookie LB Anthony Hill Jr. will push veteran Cody Barton for role
Hill is an explosive athlete with all the traits you could possibly want as the leader of Saleh's defense. There have been plenty of Fred Warner comparisons from the moment his name was called at the draft. However, he is also a rookie who was viewed as a somewhat raw prospect. With all his physical tools and potential, he certainly seems to have the inside track as the MIKE of the future.
On the other hand, Barton is relatively stiff athletically, with some clear disadvantages in both run and pass defense. Against the run, he is limited in his lateral movement and ability to evade blockers. Against the pass, he is generally decent in the sort of spot-drop coverage that will likely be a big part of the new Titans scheme, but the lack of athleticism limits his effectiveness and versatility beyond this.
But for the "quarterback of the defense" role as a middle linebacker, Barton possesses clear advantages in his experience and cerebral nature. Barton is an eight-year veteran who has played in a number of schemes and seen every type of offense in existence. Especially when the competition is a somewhat raw rookie, his experience and football IQ will likely give him an edge as the Week 1 starter.
Both Hill and Barton have received largely positive reviews following OTAs and minicamp, but this is not surprising. Training camp will get underway in late July and both players will enter with opportunities to solidify their spots and plenty to prove. Stay tuned.
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