Robert Saleh is headed to Tennessee.
The Tennessee Titans were hoping for rookie-year Jayden Daniels when they selected Cam Ward with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. Instead, they got rookie-year Caleb Williams.
Ward looked raw and underdeveloped as a rookie and former head coach Brian Callahan paid the price for it. With the Titans' future contingent on Ward playing like a future superstar, the team entered the offseason determined to find a coach who could bring the best out of last year's top draft pick.
The team reportedly zeroed in on that coach on Monday night. The team is working to finalize a deal with San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.
While the entire Titans roster is in need of an overhaul, Ward's development remains the top priority. The 23-year-old mostly struggled as a rookie, completing 59.8 percent of his passes and throwing 15 touchdowns against seven interceptions in 17 games. He also took a league-leading 55 sacks, both an indictment of his awareness and the team's porous offensive line.
But Ward also had moments where his potential burned bright. Some of his best moments came on plays where he used his legs to evade the rush and then showed off his immense arm strength to make an absurd throw down the field.
Those bright spots didn't happen enough, as Ward finished 29th in passing yards per game, 34th in completion percentage, 35th in passer rating and 35th in QBR. He ranked 39th out of 43 quarterbacks per PFF's grades. Ward shouldn't be written off after just one season, but it wasn't an encouraging start for the No. 1 overall pick.
But the Williams example proves how much things can change for a quarterback in a single season. After a rocky rookie year, Williams made significant improvements in his second season after the Chicago Bears hired offensive guru Ben Johnson. After finishing in last place in the NFC North in 2024, the Bears won the division in 2025.
That's not the only example of a new coach turning around a previously helpless rookie. Los Angeles Rams coach Sean McVay helped turn Jared Goff into a Pro Bowl passer after a miserable rookie season.
With the hire, the Titans are hoping Ward and Saleh can join those examples and engineer a drastic turnaround in Year 2.
Even if Ward takes a massive step forward, the Titans might be hard-pressed to win the AFC South next season. In addition to the division being tough, the Titans have far more issues beyond Ward. Tony Pollard was the only member of the offense to surpass 1,000 yards. The team's leading receiver, tight end Chigoziem Okonkwo, finished with just 560 receiving yards. Fourth-round rookie Elic Ayomanor had moments, but struggled with consistency. The offensive line combined to lead the league in sacks allowed. The Titans' offense averaged just 16.7 points per game, good for 30th in the NFL.
Things weren't much better on defense. While Jeffery Simmons remained a tremendous player, he didn't have a lot of help in 2025. T'Vondre Sweat and Cedric Grey — two of the team's 2024 draft picks — played well, but essentially every other defensive started rated out as below average, per PFF. Even with three impact players, the team's defense ranked 28th in points allowed.
Getting the entire team turned around will be a massive challenge. After three straight seasons finishing at the bottom of the AFC South, the Titans still have one of the worst rosters in the NFL.
But the team also has one of the biggest assets in the NFL: A No. 1 overall pick at quarterback. The Titans will enter 2026 with a number of issues, but Ward's development trumps all of them. Having a true franchise quarterback can paper over a lot of other roster problems, and that's what the Titans are hoping Ward can become now that Saleh has arrived.
This story will be updated.
Category: General Sports
