Titans Have One Major Weakness on Defense

The Tennessee Titans defense has a weak spot.

Tennessee Titans outside linebacker Cody Barton removes his jersey after OTAs | Denny Simmons / The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Tennessee Titans had a major overhaul on defense when it comes to the linebacker position.

Last year, the team had Ernest Jones IV, Kenneth Murray and Jack Gibbens manning the position before Jerome Baker came in on a trade with the Seattle Seahawks.

Now, none of those guys are on the Titans roster, but Cody Barton is joining the team from the Denver Broncos, and he's the only one guaranteed to start.

“It’s extremely wide open,” Titans defensive coordinator Dennard Wilson said via Titans insider Paul Kuharsky.

“First off, getting Cody, he’s a leader, he’s a guy that can orchestrate the defense, he’s ahead of it, he studies, he’s smart. I love that we have him.”

There will be a competition for the starting spot alongside Barton, and Cedric Gray, Otis Reese IV and James Williams are all candidates for the role.

“... The best man’s going to play,” Wilson said of the second starter position.

“Then also we talk about position flexibility. Some guys can do things better than others. There is always the chance of first and second down having players out there, you can have third down dime linebacker, whatever that may be.”

The Titans could also go out and grab a veteran like Kyzir White, who last played for the Arizona Cardinals in 2024.

While Tennessee could go out and sign a veteran in free agency, the team appears willing to give its younger players a shot. Both Gray and Williams are 2024 draft picks that could grow this season, and Reese is another player the team has invested a lot in.

It's a wide open race, so the Titans should have a lot of competition for the position, and that should bring out the best in these players.

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