Should you buy or sell John Harbaugh-Titans buzz?

Pelissero added that Harbaugh is keeping his options open, but his plans will become clearer over the next week. 

Why John Harbaugh would have interest in Titans head-coaching opening

Tennessee may not meet all of Harbaugh's reported demands, but when assessing the team, his interest in the job makes more sense. The situation isn't as bad as the Titans' 2025 record indicates. 

Tennessee's cap space could make it easier for Harbaugh to upgrade the roster than it would be in New York or Atlanta. Over the Cap estimates the Titans will have $96.7M in cap space this offseason, the second most in the NFL. The site projects that the Falcons will have $22.5M, while the Giants will have $5.2M. 

Ward, the No. 1 overall pick of the 2025 NFL Draft, is another reason Tennessee is on his radar. He has reportedly been studying tape of the former Miami Hurricanes star and fellow rookie QB Jaxson Dart (New York Giants).

Ward's numbers during his rookie season didn't jump off the stat sheet. In 17 starts, he completed a below-average 59.8% of his passes for 3,169 yards, 15 touchdown passes and seven interceptions. 

A brutal schedule, however, contributed to his struggles. ESPN's Football Power Index rated the Titans 2025 schedule as the most challenging in the league. More importantly, he improved in the second half of the season. Per StatMuse, Ward completed 62% of his passes for 1,554 yards, 10 TD passes and one pick over his last nine games. 

Tennessee general manager Mike Borgonzi could continue to surround Ward with better pieces. He knows what it takes to win after helping the Kansas City Chiefs capture three Super Bowls as a front-office member from 2009-24.  

Still be skeptical of Harbaugh-Titans buzz. Like many rumors in the early stages of the coaching cycle, it may just be smoke. That said, it's apparent why the coach hasn't ruled out Tennessee, even if the franchise is a fixer-upper.