The Tennessee Titans organization is headed in the right direction with the hiring of Robert Saleh as head coach, who will call the defensive plays.
After a strong free agency and draft, the Titans will now shape their roster for the 2026 season. Saleh has said that he envisions the Tennessee Titans being “fast and violent.”
“Play in and play out. We’re gonna play with speed. We gonna play confident. We gonna have some swag. Talk a little,” Saleh said, via the NFL. ” And like I said, the one thing that you’ll notice is the speed at which we play in and the violence at which we do it.”
With how the new head coach wants his team, one NFL analyst believes a member of the defense is in the hot seat.
Titans Linebacker in the Hot Seat
GettyTennessee Titans linebacker Cody Barton
The Tennessee Titans had three selections in the first two rounds of the 2026 NFL Draft, taking two defensive players, including Texas linebacker Anthony Hill Jr., with the 60th overall.
Hill Jr. has the third-quickest 40-yard dash and the fourth-most bench press at the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine among the linebackers, something Saleh wants on his team.
ESPN analyst Ben Solak puts Titans linebacker Cody Barton on the hot seat after the team selected Hill Jr.
“Barton played 1,061 snaps last season for the Titans. And now, he might be out of a job,” Solak wrote. “He wasn’t terrible for Tennessee last season… But Barton has always been more wily and assignment-sound than he is athletically talented… For new coach Robert Saleh, who needs his linebackers to flow fast, Barton’s current legs might be disqualifying.”
“Second-round linebacker Anthony Hill Jr. has that sort of speed, but critically, he was a multiyear signal-caller at the heart of the Texas defense. He seems better suited to slide into Barton’s shoes at middle linebacker… If Barton is indeed shelved for Hill, expect trade calls.”
Barton received a 52.5 overall grade from Pro Football Focus, ranking 68th out of 88 qualifying linebackers.
Outside of the physical qualities, the linebacker will turn 30 during the 2026 season, while Hill will be 22 the following season, giving the team some youth.
Cody Barton is entering the second year of his three-year deal with the Titans, with a cap hit of around $8.23 million. If the Titans were interested in trading away Barton, teams would have to take his contract, which may impede his trade value.
Anthony Hill Jr on What He Brings to Nashville
GettyFormer Texas linebacker Anthony Hill Jr.
Anthony Hill Jr. spoke to the media after being selected by the Tennessee Titans and called his new coach “fast and physical,” the same thing Robert Saleh wants in his players.
When asked by a reporter what he brings to the NFL after his college career, Hill described himself as Saleh wants.
“I think I bring versatility, and I bring a physical presence that a lot of people don’t have,” Hill Jr said about his game, via the Titans. “I feel like I’m a guy that’s going to work hard and do his job and be a great teammate.”
NFL analyst Lance Zierlein called Hill Jr. an “instant-impact rookie,” saying the defender has the production of Pro Bowl talent.
With a strong training camp, Anthony Hill Jr could take Cody Barton’s starting role.
Titans $21 Million Defender Named to the Hot Seat After 2026 Draft