The Tennessee Titans(3-14) had the worst record in the NFL in 2024. They found themselves in this position because of poor quarterback play, lack of separation from their wide receivers, inconsistent defense, and poor coaching decisions.
One of the biggest contributing factors, though, was offensive line play. The left side of the line, with rookie JC Latham and second-year pro Peter Skoronski, started to gel as the year progressed. The right side, however, might as well not have existed. Lloyd Cushenberry III’s injury in November was the final nail in the coffin.
The Titans and Coach Brian Callahan went out and made upgrades to the O-Line during free agency to better protect No. 1 pick Cam Ward. They brought in Detroit’s top guard, Kevin Zeitler, and LT Dan Moore Jr. from Pittsburgh.
The Titans’ record this year will depend greatly on whether this new line, with legendary OL Coach Bill Callahan, can keep Ward upright. The starting five are likely set with Moore and Skoronski on the left side and Cushenberry at center. Having Moore allows Latham to move back to his more natural right side with Zeitler sliding in at tackle beside him.
The question remains: do the Titans have enough OL depth in case of injury?
Last year’s OL was tough to watch at times. The Titans’ revolving door at right tackle allowed a combined 14 sacks and 61 pressures, a league worst in both. Quarterback Will Levis was bad, but he might not have been as bad if he hadn’t been constantly running for his life.
The free agent additions allow the Titans to fill the glaring holes from last year. Moore has been a consistent starter for Pittsburgh since he was drafted in the fourth round in 2021. He had a solid year in 2024 with only four penalties, two were holding, for the year. His addition to the roster allows Latham to slide over to RT, where he played in college.
Zeitler, a Pro Bowler in 2023, played last season in Detroit. At age 35, he’s not a long-term solution, but he’ll bring an immediate upgrade alongside second-year pro Latham. This tandem will provide stability and complete a line that struggled in all aspects last season.
Starting center Cushenberry tore his Achilles against New England last year and is still recovering. The Titans hope to have him available to start the season, but eighth-year pro Corey Levin should be able to fill in nicely if Cushenberry has to miss a few games.
The last piece of the line is Skoronski. The Titans’ first-round pick in 2023 has shown improvement each year. After week 12 in 2025, he produced the highest PFF pass-blocking grade(88.2) in the league. Both he and Zeitler made PFF’s top 32 guards for 2025, finishing 20th and 9th, respectively. The Titans’ interior line should be a strength this year.
Levin is one of five backup offensive linemen the Titans retained from last year. He’s likely to get the most playing time out of the group as well, with the injury to Cushenberry. Drafted in the sixth round of the 2017 draft by the Titans, Levin has spent most of his career with the team. He’s performed well when called upon.
Jaelyn Duncan and Andrew Rupcich both played minimal snaps for the Titans last season. Duncan was one of the issues at tackle, allowing one sack in only 39 snaps with a 56.3 PFF grade. Rupcich’s grade was even worse, clocking an embarrassing 17.0 pass-blocking grade. These low performances are why the team brought in more competition in the offseason.
Chandler Brewer was a non-factor last season, playing only a few snaps on special teams. The former LA Ram had his best season in 2022, playing 65% of the team’s offensive snaps that year. He can play both guard and tackle, which the Titans deem valuable.
The backup lineman who played the most snaps for the Titans last season was John Ojukwu. The team signed him as a UDFA after the 2023 draft. He played 264 snaps last year, allowing only one sack and grading out with a 69.4 overall rating from PFF. He’ll likely play an important part in helping keep this year’s line fresh.
Zeitler and Moore might have garnered the spotlight as the top free agents, but the Titans did sign four other offensive linemen this offseason. On paper, none of this second-tier group is an improvement for the Titans.
Brenden Jaimes played only ten snaps last season for the LA Rams. It’s hard to get a solid read on a guy with so few snaps. He has previous starting experience, though, so it’s possible the Titans can help him find his old form.
Sam Mustipher and Oli Udoh both played over 100 snaps for their teams last year, but neither fared well against the pass rush. Udoh finished with a poor 35.5 pass-blocking grade, while Mustipher’s pass-blocking grade was an abysmal 28.9 from PFF.
Blake Hence played 97 snaps for the Jacksonville Jaguars, grading out almost at the league average with a 60.1 per PFF. He didn’t give up any sacks, which is already an improvement for this Titans O-Line.
The only hope is that one of the best offensive line coaches ever, Bill Callahan, can work wonders with them. The team will need at least a couple of these to have a good camp and push the incumbents for a roster spot.
Leading up to the draft, there was an abundance of speculation on who the Titans would take No. 1 overall. What everyone was sure of was that the team would not take an offensive lineman in the first round for the third straight year. It might have come as a surprise, though, that they waited until the fifth round to address such a big need.
The Titans took 6’3” 311-pound Jackson Slater from Sacramento State with the 167th pick. Slater did miss the end of his senior season after picking up a right knee injury. The Titans look for athleticism in their offensive line, and the multisport athlete has plenty of that to spare. He can also play both guard and center. If his knee holds up, he should push the veterans in camp and land on this year’s roster.
Florida’s Brandon Crenshaw-Dickson was signed as an UDFA. The 6’6” 320-pounder played both right and left tackle in college. While not as athletic as Slater, he brings good hands and strength to set in the passing game. He’s a work in progress, but is a candidate for the practice squad.
The Titans must be more effective against the pass rush this season. Ward is mobile and able to extend plays, but they would prefer him to be able to work from the pocket. Bringing in Moore and Zeitler has already shored up the right side of the line. If Latham and Skoronski can continue their year-over-year improvement, the Titans might find themselves in a divisional hunt.
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