The Tennessee Titans finalized their initial 53-man roster on August 30 as they attempt to climb back toward respectability under new coach Robert Saleh. For those following Tennessee sports betting, Tennessee will start the season as a 1.5-point favorite against the New York Jets in Week 1. Saleh's first test will be against the only team he has ever coached.
Titans Make Multiple Roster Moves
Tennessee trimmed its roster from 91 players to 53 on cutdown day, waiving players including quarterback Will Levis, guard Cordell Volson, and receivers Bryce Oliver and Mason Kinsey. Levis's release left Cam Ward and Mitchell Trubisky as the team's only two quarterbacks.
The moves continued after Sunday's deadline. On August 31, the Titans were awarded three players off waivers and signed two more, a wave that forced five additional waivers. Linebacker Owen Pappoe, defensive back Melvin Smith, defensive tackle Nazir Stackhouse, tackle James Hudson III, and safety Terrell Burgess all joined the roster. Receiver Xavier Restrepo briefly made the 53-man roster before being waived and later reclaimed for the practice squad. Peter Skoronski, Dan Moore Jr., and Jeffery Simmons all made the roster as expected along the lines.
Titans Add 16 Players to Practice Squad
Tennessee signed 16 players to its practice squad on August 31, leaning heavily toward offensive skill positions to backfill a receiver room that carried just five or six players on the active roster.
Quarterback Hendon Hooker, waived on cutdown day, returned as a third arm behind Ward and Trubisky, joined by running backs Kalel Mullings and Michael Carter and receivers K.J. Osborn and Hank Beatty. On defense, the squad added Jalyn Holmes, Timmy Horne, Mani Powell, and Derrick Canteen, with Rasheed Miller and Drew Moss along the line. The final spot went to Restrepo once he cleared waivers.
Titans Place Players on Reserved List
Tennessee made two notable medical calls on cutdown day, placing cornerback Joshua Williams and linebacker Dorian Mausi on injured reserve, both designated to return after a minimum of four games. Williams is dealing with a pectoral injury aggravated in the preseason finale against San Francisco, while Mausi, a key special teams piece, has an undisclosed issue.
The news was tougher for center Andre James and defensive end Tanoh Kpassagnon, who also landed on injured reserve without a return designation, likely ending their 2026 seasons. James's absence pushes Austin Schlottmann and Pat Coogan into bigger roles up front.
Let's Talk About Their Week 1 Opponent
Tennessee opens the season as a 1.5-point favorite over the New York Jets, according to DraftKings, a line that reflects where both franchises sit. These are two of the worst teams in the AFC coming off last season, with the Jets finishing 3-14 in 2025 and the Titans matching that mark. Neither has sniffed the playoffs in years, making Week 1 an early measuring stick for which rebuild is further along. But anyone using Tennessee sports betting apps will have a good option for wagering.
For Saleh, this game carries extra weight. It's his first as a head coach since the Jets fired him five games into 2024, ending a tenure that produced a 20-36 record and no winning seasons. His defensive background, built running the 49ers' defense, never translated into offensive success in New York, where the Jets cycled through six quarterbacks and never solved their scoring issues despite a top-five defense.
That history shapes how Saleh approaches this matchup. He knows the Jets' organizational tendencies and the pressure points of that building. It's a strange bit of symmetry that his return to coaching comes against the only franchise that ever employed him, and Tennessee's locker room is well aware of the storyline even if Saleh keeps the focus on preparation.
Winning would set an early tone for a Titans team that has finished at the bottom of the AFC South for three straight years. Cam Ward, healthy and entering year two as starter, will look to build on his rookie flashes, and a strong start would help build belief inside a building that badly needs it.
