Titans among teams pushing for 'contender status'

Following a 6-11 season, the Tennessee Titans underwent measurable changes toward improving the roster for the upcoming 2024 NFL season.

General manager Ran Carthon was proactive in upgrading nearly every position group, highlighted by free-agent signings Calvin Ridley, Tyler Boyd, Tony Pollard, and Lloyd Cushenberry on the offensive side of the ball.

Defensively, the Titans added a ton as well. Jamal Adams, Quandre Diggs, Chidobe Awuzie, Kenneth Murray, and L’Jarius Sneed will all be new faces this season.

As such, Bleacher Report’s Brad Gagnon recently identified three teams pushing toward being contenders, including the Titans.

Here is his analysis:

The Tennessee Titans remain a long shot in 2024, but there’s an element of “you only live once” surrounding a team that could have the right pieces in place to disrupt a potentially wide-open division if quarterback Will Levis can deliver as a sophomore.

This summer, the Titans have added three well-known veterans who may be beyond their prime but could bring some late-career leadership and possibly even some jolts to the team.

Jamal Adams is a three-time Pro Bowler and still just 28 years old, while 31-year-old Shane Ray once had an eight-season campaign in Denver and could be motivated in what is likely his last NFL shot. Quandre Diggs is coming off a 95-tackle age-30 campaign in Seattle.

Those guys might not put Tennessee over the top, but if they can click in an experienced defense and Levis can excel thanks in part to a battle-tested receiving corps featuring Calvin Ridley and Tyler Boyd along with the returning DeAndre Hopkins, who knows.

Gagnon notes the offseason additions, which will help the Titans improve upon their disappointing record a year ago. That’s the hope, anyway.

However, as he alluded, the upcoming season is largely predicated on the development of second-year quarterback Will Levis.

The former 33rd overall pick in the 2023 NFL draft threw for over 1,800 yards as a rookie, but he completed just 58.4 percent of his passes, the lowest among all qualified quarterbacks in the National Football League.

Again, the additions to the wide receiver room and the pass-catching abilities from the running back position should aid Levis in taking the necessary steps toward proving that he is the franchise quarterback.

If he can do that, the Titans record will likely reflect it.