Latest Titans Prediction Hands Tennessee a Realistic Bar for Robert Saleh's Debut Season

The Tennessee Titans just received a realistic bar for the 2026 season from CBS Sports.

Tennessee Titans coach Robert Saleh addresses the media after team practice Vanderbilt Health Football Center Tuesday, Sept. 1, 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

The Tennessee Titans are entering a new era in 2026, as Robert Saleh is taking over as the head coach, and the team has brought in a few fresh faces on both sides of the ball who should play pivotal roles.

Saleh is set to be the Titans' third head coach in three years. The franchise has been on a downward spiral since losing in the postseason to the Cincinnati Bengals during the 2021 season, as Tennessee has posted four straight losing campaigns, including two straight three-win seasons.

Entering 2026, the Titans are poised to show improvement, but the national opinion still seems to be that Tennessee is one year away from contending for the playoffs.

CBS Sports Predicts a Last Place AFC South Finish for Titans in 2026

Aug 3, 2026; Nashville, TN, USA; Tennessee Titans quarterback Cam Ward (1) talks with Offensive coordinator Brian Daboll during training camp at Vanderbilt Health Football Center. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

CBS Sports' Garrett Podell released his predictions for the last-place team in each NFL division, and his pick for the AFC South was the Titans. Podell believes Tennessee is heading in the right direction and is a draft away from building the roster.

Though the AFC South isn't the most stacked division, the Titans are still behind the other three squads entering the season. The Houston Texans are a legitimate Super Bowl contender, the Jacksonville Jaguars should build off their fantastic 2025 season, and the Indianapolis Colts could return as a threat with quarterback Daniel Jones back healthy.

The Titans should be much more competitive in the division this year, which could lead to them stacking unexpected wins. However, until we see growth from the group, the national media can't give them more respect than their division foes.

Overall, Tennessee should be better in 2026 and more than double their win total from last year. But it's not out of the question that they finish last in the AFC South again. Houston and Jacksonville are tough tests, and Indianapolis won't be easy either.