New Titans additions to 53-man roster bolster Dennard Wilson’s unique desire for what this defense’s identity should be in 2025

I’m not sure if the Tennessee Titans will be able to rush the passer in 2025. You’re not sure if the Tennessee Titans will be able to rush the passer in 2025. I seriously doubt the Tennessee Titans are sure the Tennessee Titans will be able to rush the passer in 2025. And that’s a product of the impossibly thin EDGE market. Unless you take one in the first round of the draft, you’re playing with extremely limited and flawed options. The “have’s” and the “have not’s” of the league in this regard are easy to identify. And the Titans are driving the bus for the latter group this season.

But in 2024, Defensive Coordinator Dennard Wilson did an admirable job drawing blood from a stone with his unit. It was a very flawed, very thin group then, and it is again this year. So it may not be fair, but he’s being asked for a repeat (and frankly, even better) performance.

While I don’t know for sure whether he’ll be able to pull it off, I do know he has a clear vision for what he wants this defense to be. And this past week, the Titans utilized their first overall waiver claim status and ability to sign newly-cut veterans to bolster that identity in the box.

CJ Ravenell and Shy Tuttle

Ravenell was one of the Titans four waiver claims, landing in Nashville after being cut by Baltimore. Here’s some background on him from my A to Z colleague Kyle Crabbs who covers the Ravens closely:

“Former Ravens defender CJ Ravenell faced a steep numbers crunch for a loaded Baltimore front seven but has the kind of stout physicality to help win at the point of attack. Between his two preseason campaigns in Baltimore, he's been used up and down the front, logging snaps in the B-gap and also flexing him outside onto the edge, which he did more as an undrafted rookie in 2024. Ravenell went undrafted out of Missouri Western State in 2024 and boasts plus length and added developmental upside as he continues to learn how to tap into his ability to defeat blocks quickly to complement his presence to anchor at the point.”

At 300lbs, he’ll play much more inside than out along the defensive front. Here’s what GM Mike Borgonzi had to say about the young player this week:

“We brought Ravenell in here as a young developmental guy that we wanted to get on the roster to take a look at. We've looked at him the last two years. He made a big jump in Baltimore this year. You know, he's a big man. He played defensive end. He can slide into three techniques. So anytime you can get those big guys in here who are young and continue to develop them, that was our thinking on that.”

CJ Ravenell will fit Dennard Wilson’s vision of an impenetrable interior run defense, and a pass rush that can at least crush the pocket from the inside at a decent rate, flushing quarterbacks out. The newest veteran to join the Titans roster should do the same, and that’s DL Shy Tuttle. The former Tennessee Volunteer has logged over 90 NFL games and over 30 starts in his career. Here’s what Borgonzi had to say about adding him to the roster:

“Shy (Tuttle) can play. He's got a little bit more versatility in there. He can play three technique. He can play nose. He has experience with Tracy (Rocker).”

Both of these guys joining the DL room just further hammers home the identity of that group.

Dorian Mausi 

The final waiver claim I’ve not written about yet is LB Dorian Mausi, formerly of the Minnesota Vikings. Mausi is a UDFA rookie the Titans front office surely spent some time on in the draft process, and just got the chance to see in Nashville for themselves in the preseason finale. Here’s some insight on the camp Mousi had in Minnesota from my A to Z colleague Tyler Forness:

“The Vikings signed Mausi as one of four players from the University of Auburn, including his teammate in the linebacker room Austin Keys. He was buried on the depth chart, but flashed, especially in special teams drills. He possesses good size for the position with capable athleticism. Hes worth developing, especially with his good instincts and tackling ability. At worst, he will be a positive addition on special teams.”

Mousi was signed as the fourth linebacker on this roster, so he’s a special teams signing. Mike Borgonzi’s comments on him confirm this.

“He's a good special teams linebacker. So those young guys that get on the field right away and play special teams, we felt like he's one of those guys that we identified here in the process. And, you know, sometimes you're getting guys, like I said, it's a lot of roster gymnastics at this point, and sometimes it's manipulation.”

That last bit makes me wonder if Mousi is going to stick or not. I’m not exactly sure how claiming a player could turn into roster gymnastics necessarily, but something to keep an eye on nonetheless. Perhaps they really want him on their practice squad eventually and claimed him to make sure.