Titans ranked among NFL's top worst-to-first candidates
· Yahoo Sports
The Tennessee Titans have spent the last several months trying to reshape their recent misfortunes of unsuccessful seasons. After finishing at the bottom of the AFC South each of the last three seasons, expectations outside Nashville are still understandably low.
In a recent ESPN ranking of the NFL's top worst-to-first candidates for the 2026 season, the Titans earned a spot in the top half of the list. However, after ranking them fourth via ESPN's Football Power Index odds, NFL analyst Aaron Schatz had this to say about the Titans:
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Cam Ward, who was the No. 1 draft pick in 2025, was considered a better prospect than Jaxson Dart at this time last year, but otherwise the Titans are similar to the Giants -- just in less exciting ways. As a rookie, Ward ranked last among qualifying starters in QBR (33.2). The Titans added two first-round picks in this year's draft, but only one of them was in the top 10 (WR Carnell Tate). The Titans added a lot of veterans on defense this offseason, but they don't particularly stand out. And the Titans also have a new coaching staff, but Robert Saleh doesn't have the track record of John Harbaugh.
The Titans do have their division as a point in their favor, as FPI is more impressed by the Eagles and Cowboys than it is by the Texans and Jaguars
The Titans ranked lower than the New Orleans Saints and New York Giants on the list, which are two franchises they will be compared to because of the 2025 QB Draft class. While time will tell which QB emerges as the best of that group, the Titans' division could give them an upper hand in a turnaround this season.
AFC South Gives the Titans a Real Opportunity
To be frank, the AFC South has been one of the better divisions during the last three seasons. 2023 saw three teams with winning records, and last season saw one team (Indianapolis Colts) have a freefall to end the season one game shy of a winning record. That would've made it two out of three years of the division having three teams with winning records, alongside the Houston Texans and Jacksonville Jaguars.
However, the division lacks clear Super Bowl contenders, leaving the AFC South among the NFL's most unpredictable divisions. Every team enters the season with significant questions, creating an opportunity for a fast-improving roster like the Titans to rise quickly.
QB Cam Ward enters his second season with higher expectations and a stronger supporting cast on offense, while the defense has been reshaped under new head coach Robert Saleh. History also supports the possibility of a turnaround, as every NFL season produces surprise teams, with several recent division winners coming off last-place finishes the year before.
For a franchise that spent much of last season searching for reasons to be optimistic, being ranked among the NFL's top worst-to-first candidates is a positive sign. The Titans roster still has plenty to prove, but the foundation for a turnaround appears stronger than it has in years.
This article originally appeared on Titans Wire: Tennessee Titans ranked among NFL's top worst-to-first candidates