The Tennessee Titans are busy wrapping up the NFL’s acclimation period at the start of training camp, and so far, rookie wideout Carnell Tate has made his presence known.
The fourth-overall selection in the 2026 NFL draft has come into camp and already flashed the polished route tree and great hands that made him a coveted prospect throughout the pre-draft process.
With Tate seemingly already penned in as one of the top outside threats for Cam Ward and the new-look offense, there is hope that he will fill that WR1 role the Titans lacked in 2025. He has the tools to be successful and should be a threat early. So much so that Dan Parr of NFL.com believes he has a solid shot at being named Offensive Rookie of the Year.
Rank 4: Carnell Tate - TEN - WR
Tate fits the new-wave OROY mold as a wide receiver drafted in the top 10 (fourth overall). The former Buckeye was selected to be Tennessee’s WR1, and all indications so far suggest he’s living up to his lofty billing. It’s not hard to envision him gliding under deep throws from Cam Ward for chunk gains that will help him charge to the front of the pack among this year’s talented class of newbies. However, there are some things that could hold him back through no fault of his own. The Titans’ offensive line is still extremely suspect, and when you combine that with Ward learning a new offense in his second NFL season, I see reason for concern. Also, the team threw big free-agent money at WR Wan’Dale Robinson to reunite him with OC Brian Daboll this offseason, and Robinson averaged 140 targets over the past two years with the Giants, where Daboll was calling the shots. To put that in perspective, only Ja’Marr Chase, Trey McBride, Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Justin Jefferson were targeted more than Robinson since the start of the 2024 season. So, while Tate might be Tennessee's top outside receiver, don’t be surprised if he isn’t the squad’s most targeted pass catcher in 2026.
Right now in the early days of camp, the biggest question mark is along the offensive line, a fact that Parr nails in this article. It will likely be that unit, and how they hold up, that will make or break the offense in 2026.
Yes, Ward is learning a new system, but with the added weaponry and a real offensive philosophy, he should be able to improve from his rookie year, and Tate will be a significant threat in that scheme.
This article originally appeared on Titans Wire: Titans' Carnell Tate named 2026 Offensive Rookie of the Year candidate
