Can Titans Be Next Commanders?

The Washington Commanders went from one of the worst teams in the league to one of the best in one year. Can the Tennessee Titans follow suit?
Dec 1, 2024; Landover, Maryland, USA; Tennessee Titans quarterback Will Levis (8) scrambles from Washington Commanders defensive end Dorance Armstrong (92) during the fourth quarter at Northwest Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images
Dec 1, 2024; Landover, Maryland, USA; Tennessee Titans quarterback Will Levis (8) scrambles from Washington Commanders defensive end Dorance Armstrong (92) during the fourth quarter at Northwest Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images / Geoff Burke-Imagn Images
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The Tennessee Titans are hoping to return to relevance in the 2025 season.

While it's no easy feat to go from one of the worst teams in the league to a contender in one year, it's been done before, and very recently as a matter of fact.

A year ago, the Commanders had the No. 2 overall pick, and they were able to reach the NFC Championship this past season.

A to Z Sports writer Easton Freeze looks into the similarities of Washington's path and Tennessee's positioning.

"The way Washington rebuilt modestly around the eventual addition of Jayden Daniels with modest, smart, small contracts is something they’ve studied and really admire," Freeze writes.

"It’s how they’re structuring their offseason, though any expectation of hitting at Daniels-levels of success in Year 1 are admittedly quite lofty. It doesn’t have to work so spectacularly at the outset to be a success. If the Commanders found a 99th percentile outcome in the process, the Titans landing in the 50th percentile would still be a definitive win in 2025. That’s what they’re hoping for."

The offense is going to have to make a number of changes going into next season, but we have already seen some progress with the signings of Dan Moore Jr. and Kevin Zeitler, both of whom are expected to improve the team's offensive line.

The next step for Tennessee comes with its receivers, and given the fact that the team lost Nick Westbrook-Ikhine and his nine touchdowns to the Miami Dolphins, the Titans should target a receiver or two in the draft this year.

The big difference between the Commanders and Titans is that Washington had six top-100 picks, while Tennessee only has two this year. On top of that, Washington was far more aggressive in free agency than what Tennessee has so far put together.

It's apples and oranges for the comparison, but the Titans could take a step in the right direction by drafting Ward and going from there.

Make sure you bookmark Tennessee Titans on SI for the latest news, exclusive interviews, film breakdowns and so much more!


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Jeremy Brener
JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several On SI sites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid and resides in Central Florida. He graduated from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.