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Critical position group to fixing Titans defensive woes will feature the best 2025 training camp battle

Originally posted on A to Z Sports | By Buck Reising | Last updated Jul 20, 2025 3:24 PM ET

The Tennessee Titans off-ball linebacker room has long been one of the team's biggest problem areas. As 2025 Training Camp begins this week at Ascension Saint Thomas Sports Park, the next month will be critical to solving one of the biggest defensive questions surrounding the team.

Injury, inexperience and inconsistency have plagued Tennessee at the position for nearly three seasons.

Consistency at linebacker defined Titans ILB free-agency find

A historically bad Titans special teams unit got first-year coordinator Colt Anderson relieved of his duties after just one season on first-year head coach Brian Callahan's staff.

While it does not excuse how poor the Titans defense held up last season, it did exacerbate the problem. Consistently short fields for the opposition and an offense that tied for first in total turnovers in 2024 gave a young, inexperienced defensive unit more adversity than it needed to face. Replacing 2023 free-agent bust Kenneth Murray with Cody Barton, formerly of the Denver Broncos, coming off of a career year was a solid first step.

Figuring out who the best running mate(s) for Barton during training camp and preseason is the next step.

“The room is full of good young athletes," Barton said this offseason. "You know, they're young guys. They're still learning. And, you know, it's actually helped my game too, because while I'm learning the defense, they're helping me learn the defense, and I'm also helping them learn the defense from my perspective, you know, because I've been in some different schemes. It's a lot of back and forth in the room, helping each other. And, you know, as young as they are, you know, they're picking up things quick, and they're, as a whole group, moving, we're all moving the right way.”

Tennessee tied with the San Francisco 49ers defense for the eighth-most red zone touchdowns (21) allowed last year and was one of two teams (SF) credited without a red zone interception last season, according to FTNFantasy.com.

Improved discipline in all phases will help foster necessary growth for 2024 fourth and seventh-round draft picks Cedric Gray and James Williams. Both players were out of their depth at points when called upon due to linebacker room injuries in Year 1. Both have also received praise from Callahan during the offseason program for the work they've put in.

Training camp brings fully-padded practices and road joint work with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Atlanta Falcons to put that offseason progress to the test.