Titans Rebuild Should Echo Patriots

Sitting at 3-12 isn't fun for anyone, but it's not like the Tennessee Titans expected to be playoff contenders under Brian Callahan. They quickly moved on from their second year head coach, and are now in prime position to end the year with a bang.

Interim head coach Mike McCoy likely won't be sticking around, but it's also not like the Titans can go out and get a coach like Mike Vrabel.

Regardless, they have a ton of cap space to work with and are guaranteed a Top 10 pick. They could go wide receiver or defense with that pick and seemingly can't go wrong with either option. At the end of the day, rookie quarterback Cam Ward is the future and their next head coach can build the team around him.

ESPN's Jordan Reid Compares 2025 Titans To 2024 Patriots

Titans are in a similar spot as the 2024 Patriots. Flashes from toolsy young QBs while withstanding a bad infrastructure. 8 draft picks and $100M+ in cap space.

Find the right head coach, build around him, and hope the team makes a massive leap while the game slows down for him. https://t.co/D05dSCGx9m
— Jordan Reid (@Jordan_Reid) December 22, 2025

With 2026 right around the corner, the 2025 season is coming to an end. Tennessee has a chance to finish with one or two more wins than they did a year ago, but at worst they'll finish with the same record. 3-14 is far from great, but looking at how they've ended the year, the future truly is bright for Titans fans.

Hiring the right coach is everything, and that's a decision Tennessee cannot afford to miss on. If the front office picks the wrong candidate, that would set this team back another five years. If they choose the right candidate, like the Patriots did with Vrabel, they're well on their way to a playoff appearance.

Between Ward and now four-time Pro Bowler Jeffery Simmons, there is already a ton of talent in Tennessee. Linebacker Cedric Gray and offensive guard Peter Skoronski got robbed of a Pro Bowl appearance, but rookie wide receiver and kick returner Chimere Dike has already made his mark on this league.

$100M+ Cap Space And Eight Draft Picks

Titans GM Mike Borgonz — Mike Borgonzi speaks during a press conference announcing him as the new Titans’ GM at Titans facility in Nashville , Tenn., Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025. | Nicole Hester / The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

If there's ever a time to go all-in, it's now. Tennessee could go out and get a receiver like George Pickens, or they could focus on extending tight end Chig Okonkwo. They'll have tons of money to spend, but need to use it wisely. If they overpay all of their current players, there's no guarantees they're going to get any better.

Opting out of a contract like WR Calvin Ridley would help this team get younger and free up money in the long run. Tons of decisions need to be made, and if they stumble upon the correct ones, there's no reason to believe the Titans can't make the playoffs in the next 2-3 years. No one expects them to be the AFC's No. 2 seed with a 12-3 record, but anything can happen in the NFL.

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