Latest ESPN edge rusher rankings spell nightmare season for Titans, will put rebuilt offensive line to the ultimate test

The Tennessee Titans have it relatively tough in the AFC South when it comes to the EDGE talent they have to face twice each year. The Texans in particular present a terrifying test every time they put Will Anderson Jr. and Danielle Hunter on the field together. In Jacksonville, Josh Hines-Allen and Travon Walker are no walk in the park either. And in Indianapolis, Laiatu Latu and Kwity Paye could continue to develop into a difficult tandem.

Well, in 2025, the Titans have more than just their own division to worry about when it comes to edge rushers. ESPN released their anonymous coaches and executives poll of the top-10 edge rushers heading into this season, and the Titans play half the list this year.

Coming in at 1st, no surprise, is the Browns’ Myles Garrett. In 4th is the Raiders’ Maxx Crosby, 5th is the 49ers’ Nick Bosa, 8th and 9th are the Texans’ Will Anderson Jr and Danielle Hunter, and 10th is the rapidly ascending Rams EDGE Jared Verse. The Titans face each of these players this season.

On top of that murderer’s row, they also see the Chargers’ Khalil Mack and the Jaguars’ Josh Hines-Allen and Travon Walker who all received votes in this poll.

In 2024, the Titans got off really easy in this department. They were scheduled to face the best rusher in the league at the time, the Lions’ Aidan Hutchinson, but he got hurt before they saw him. Khalil Mack and the Bills’ Von Miller were also on the schedule but got dodged. And Tennessee only faced the Texans’ two-headed monster once because they sat in Week 18 before the playoffs. So all-told, the worst the offensive line had to deal with was Trey Hendrickson, Will Anderson Jr. and Danielle Hunter once, Greg Rousseau, Jonathan Greenard, and Josh Hines-Allen and Travon Walker twice. It doesn’t get much easier than that on a full NFL schedule.

Barring convenient injury luck in 2025, it’s going to be much harder sledding. Luckily for the Titans, they’ve got a pair of tackles who should both be serviceable players for the first time in at least three years. The offensive line is finally positioned to take a leap, which you can read more about here. The expectation should be for them to be much improved, and Lord knows they’re going to need it against these pass rushers.