Titans Center Receives Mediocre Ranking

The Tennessee Titans spent a good chunk of their free agency money last year on veteran offensive lineman Lloyd Cushenberry III.

After four years with the Denver Broncos, Cushenberry made his way to Music City to anchor the offensive line for the Titans.

Unfortunately for Cushenberry, he suffered a torn Achilles midway through his first season with the Titans, prompting Pro Football Focus writer Mason Cameron to place him at No. 20 in his starting center rankings.

"A torn Achilles in Week 9 ended Cushenberry’s first season in Tennessee, but a solid grading profile in his prior seasons provides confidence that he can bounce back," Cameron wrote.

"Across his final three seasons in Denver, Cushenberry posted the fourth-highest PFF pass-blocking grade on true pass sets. With expectations that he will be ready for training camp this offseason, he can again reach that ceiling."

Cushenberry is still recovering in hopes of getting back into the Titans lineup this season. He is expected to be back in time for Week 1, and the Titans could certainly use his services.

With a new rookie quarterback bursting onto the scene in Cam Ward, he will need to have a reliable center to help ease him into the offense. Cushenberry's veteran leadership will help Ward get more comfortable, and that could make the rookie's development move a little more smoothly.

It's a challenge coming back from injury and helping a rookie move into the NFL, but Cushenberry is ready for the opportunity.

"It was a tough year," Cushenberry said at season's end via team reporter Jim Wyatt. "It was a blessing to come here, and I feel like I was here for a reason. But it was tough, what happened. To deal with the injury, and to not be as successful as you want to be, it's tough."

"But I think it's just a test. God is testing me. I am going to get through it, I am going to keep fighting. And I am going to come back better in 2025."

Cushenberry will likely remain on the sidelines as the Titans embark on a mandatory minicamp next week.