Cedric Gray appears locked into a starring role, but Anthony Hill's athletic traits may make it only a matter of time before he challenges Cody Barton for the starting MIKE linebacker spot.
By DREW BEATTY, film analyst
After deep dives into both the Tennessee Titans’ wide receiver and interior defensive line rooms, two position groups that were gutted down to the studs in Tennessee’s 2026 offseason, this week’s focus shifts over to one of the few rooms that kept its foundation. In an offseason where the tandem of second-year general manager Mike Borgonzi and new head coach Robert Saleh showed no signs of timidness, one would expect a linebacker guru like Saleh to mold the existing room to his liking. However, the pre-existing corps weathered the storm of the offseason while also gaining one significant new addition.
In 2025, the story of the Titans’ off-ball linebacker room was one of sharp contrast. On one side of the coin, Tennessee saw the meteoric rise to stardom of second-year linebacker Cedric Gray. On the other hand, Tennessee also saw the slow, steady degradation of veteran presence Cody Barton.
Throughout the early stages of the 2025 offseason, it was widely reported that the Titans were heavily involved in the trade market for linebackers (presumably for Barton’s replacement). After none of these trades materialized and Tennessee made no significant free agent signings at linebacker, the focus then shifted to potential additions during the draft. This speculation came to fruition after Borgonzi traded back up into the second round on Day Two to select Texas linebacker Anthony Hill Jr. with the 60th overall pick.
