With rookies already in camp, the Tennessee Titans are just a few days away from taking the field and watching the position battles commence.
Tennessee made some significant changes to its roster throughout the offseason and will look a lot different than it did in 2025, but it still has some questions to answer on both sides of the ball. In his preseason preview, ESPN’s Turron Davenport outlines three key position battles to watch once camp kicks off that could have a major impact on the outcome of the 2026 season.
Center
There's no slam-dunk favorite in the three-way battle between veterans Austin Schlottmann and Andre James and rookie Pat Coogan. Schlottmann has the upper hand, having played in Daboll's offense the past two seasons. But James, a late
addition during minicamp, started 31 games for offensive line coach Carmen Bricillo with the Raiders in 2022 and 2023. Coogan has an outside shot at the job because of his top-level communication skills, but he has an uphill battle after being selected in the sixth round in April.
The late addition of James adds some more intrigue to this competition, which had the appearance of a two-horse race throughout most of the offseason. James did have his best seasons under Bricillo, and could surprise. Coogan has championship pedigree from his college days, and could eventually see some reps, definitely making it one of the positions to watch.
Right guard
Veterans Cordell Volson and Jackson Slater are the primary competitors in this battle. Volson has 48 starts under his belt after being selected by the Bengals in the fourth round in 2022. He missed the 2025 season after undergoing surgery on his right shoulder last August. Slater enters his second season after being selected in the fifth round last year. He played 34 snaps last season, all of which came in the season finale against the Jaguars. Someone needs to emerge quickly to help solidify the right side, especially with questions surrounding Latham at right tackle.
This battle could run right up until the end of camp and has no real favorite. Volson does have more experience but is coming off a significant injury; he will face a strong push from Slater, who adapted well to the NFL after spending his career at a small college and played well in the finale. Heading into training camp, Volson may have a slight edge due to his experience, but this one is far from settled.
Middle linebacker
The second level of the defense, especially the Mike linebacker, is one of the more showcased positions in Saleh's defense. Veteran linebacker Cody Barton started all 17 games for the Titans last season. Second-round pick Anthony Hill Jr. can potentially be a difference-maker. Barton has the inside track to start initially because he played in a similar scheme with the Seahawks. Learning his own role, along with everyone else on the defense, is a lot to put on Hill, so how quickly he gets comfortable processing information will be key to the rookie playing with the speed and intensity he exhibited at Texas last season.
The entire linebacking corps could see some outstanding camp battles, with Cedric Gray appearing to be the only player definitely slotted in. The Titans traded up to select Hill in the second round, and he will definitely see the field as a rookie. The big question is where. There is a chance all three- Gray, Barton, and Hill see action together, but it is hard to tell how it shakes out.
This article originally appeared on Titans Wire: What are the Titans' biggest training camp battles?
