The Tennessee Titans defense allowed 28.1 points per game in the 2025 season, the fifth-most in the league.
Coming in is defensive-minded head coach Robert Saleh, who will take over the playcalling duties, something he didn’t do in his last HC job with the NY Jets, to change the atmosphere of the franchise.
The Titans have made numerous defensive additions to make Saleh’s playcalling easier in the 2026 season. With training camp coming up, the new members of the squad will get their first real practice of the new defense under the head coach and DC Gus Bradley.
One of those additions has been named as a possible under-the-radar candidate for the Titans ahead of the 2026 season
Titans Defender Named Under-the-Radar
GettyA new addition could be a key contributor next season
One of the most notable additions for the Tennessee Titans this offseason has been the selection of Carnell Tate with the 4th overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. But a sneaky move from the Titans could be their best offseason move.
Tennessee landed EDGE rusher Jermaine Johnson II in a rare player-for-player trade, who earned his first Pro Bowl nod under Saleh during the Jets’ days.
Zachary Pereles of CBS Sports calls Johnson an under-the-radar player for the Titans before the start of training camp.
“Sent to Tennessee in a swap for T’Vondre Sweat, Johnson reunites with Robert Saleh in the Music City. Johnson looked like an emerging edge rusher in 2023, when he had 7.5 sacks and made the Pro Bowl, but he tore his Achilles early in 2024 and wasn’t very effective (three sacks) in 2025,” Pereles wrote. “Can he provide some edge juice with Jeffery Simmons and John Franklin-Myers causing havoc inside?”
In his three seasons under Saleh, Johnson registered 10 sacks, 88 tackles and 7 pass deflections (the EDGE rusher played in 2 games in the 2024 season). Johnson has 27 quarterback pressures in his career so far, showing he can get the QB.
The EDGE rusher, who is a former first-round selection, is in his fifth-year contract clause and will make $13.4 million guaranteed this season. In a contract year, the former Pro Bowl defender needs to have a strong season to receive a strong contract in the following free agency.
Jermaine Johnson called Saleh’s defense something he fell in love with and will continue to study the playbook, but acknowledges that he knows it like the back of his hand.
“How many guys do you know where they join the team and they know the plays already, and they know the players, the head coach, the position coach?… “It all just worked out perfectly,” Johnson said. “I am very blessed to be a part of this.”
Robert Saleh on Jermaine Johnson
GettyRobert Saleh enters his fifth overall season as a head coach in the NFL
Trading for a former player of his, Robert Saleh would obviously have some positive words for Jermaine Johnson.
During his tenure with the Jets, Saleh believed the EDGE rusher would have a strong career. Now reunited, Johnson could return to his Pro Bowl level of play.
“Jermaine’s awesome…. He’s disruptive. He changes games. He gets after the quarterback and he’s awesome in the run game. Plays through pain,” the head coach previously said of the defender. “He’s grossly underrated. He’s gonna be good for a long time.”
Titans $13 Million Pro Bowl Addition Listed as Under-the-Radar Player