No predictions, just urgency: Robert Saleh’s Titans start camp after another 3-14 reset

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — The Tennessee Titans are in no mood to make any predictions as training camp starts Wednesday with a new coach in Robert Saleh and general manager Mike Borgonzi in his second year following another big free agent spending spree.

The goal couldn’t be more clear for the NFL franchise trying to snap a skid of four straight losing seasons.

“There’s always urgency, really, every year to win in this league,” Borgonzi said Tuesday. “I feel good about the pieces that we have here now, the players, obviously Coach Saleh coming in and his staff. I mean the urgency in this league, it’s so competitive. So yeah, we feel the urgency.”

Borgonzi drafted a promising class of rookies in 2025 led by quarterback Cam Ward at No. 1 overall with the Titans following up with a miserable 3-14 season highlighted by the firing of coach Brian Callahan.

Saleh, hired in January, brought in an experienced coaching staff featuring two other former NFL head coaches in offensive coordinator Brian Daboll and defensive coordinator Gus Bradley.

Needing more talent, Borgonzi made the Titans the NFL’s highest-spending team in free agency in March by signing wide receiver Wan’Dale Robinson and a trio of cornerbacks led by Alontae Taylor and Cor’Dale Flott. He then added a draft class in April led by receiver Carnell Tate and defensive lineman Keldric Faulk.

The Titans have three joint practices before preseason games with San Francisco, defending champ Seattle and Chicago — all playoff teams in January. The Titans open the season Sept. 13 against the New York Jets, the team that fired Saleh in 2024.

Saleh said yes, the Titans play in a good division in the AFC South. Both Jacksonville and Houston reached the playoffs last season.

“The only chance you have at being successful in this league is if you have a great process, you win day to day and you put yourself in position to be as good as you can be on game day,” Saleh said. “That’s really the main focus for our football team.”

Only right tackle JC Latham will remain on the physically unable to perform list with a strained pectoral muscle. Borgonzi said safety Amani Hooker would be activated later Tuesday.

No competition for starting quarterback

Saleh made very clear that Ward is the Titans’ starter. So the only quarterback competition is for who backs up Ward between veteran Mitch Trubisky, Will Levis and Hendon Hooker.

Trubisky has familiarity with offensive coordinator Brian Daboll. Levis is in the final year of his rookie deal as the 33rd overall draft pick in 2023. He has started 21 games, but Levis spent last season recovering from shoulder surgery.

“As far as the quarterback’s concerned, we’re going to do everything we can to develop Cam,” Saleh said.

Talks continue for Skoronski extension

The Titans took care of an extension for All-Pro defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons in June. Borgonzi said they have had talks with agents for left guard Peter Skoronski, who is going into the fourth year of his rookie contract.

The Titans picked up his fifth-year option, but the 11th pick overall in the 2023 draft has started all 48 games s played as a key piece of the offensive line.

Ice Bucket Challenge for CJ2K

Titans controlling owner Amy Adams Strunk joined nephew and board co-chair Kenneth Adams IV along with Borgonzi, Saleh, president and CEO Burke Nihill and other team executives dumping ice water over their heads to help raise money and awareness of the disease two former players for the franchise are fighting.

Chris Johnson, the sixth man to run for at least 2,000 yards in an NFL season, announced in June that he has ALS. He also restarted the fundraising for research into the disease former Titans linebacker Tim Shaw was diagnosed with in 2014.

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