Robert Saleh is back at the NFL Scouting Combine for the first time since 2019 to find a few cornerstones to bolster the established foundation of the Tennessee Titans.
Saleh, the former New York Jets head coach and most recently San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator, was hired to replace Brian Callahan in Nashville. Callahan lasted just over one full season in Tennessee. He was tagged out by general manager Mike Borgonzi in October and temporarily replaced by Mike McCoy as interim coach.
One year ago, the Ttians were in Indianapolis to pour over prospects who could be candidates to become the No. 1 overall pick. Borgonzi could barely camouflage his lean toward Miami quarterback Cam Ward, who was the top pick in 2025 and had an active voice in the team’s decision to hire Saleh. Each day that goes by in his new role, the quarterback drops in to say hello and, as the coach describes it, does that same with everyone in the building.
“It is very important. That building is very, very important to him,” Saleh said Tuesday in Indianapolis. “You can tell that he wants to lead it. He’s learning every single day what it takes to be a leader. There’s no doubt that a man who’s built the way he is, who’s wired the way he is, who works the way he does, it’s very rare that those people don’t find success.”
Ward, 23, was energized by the hire. He attended Saleh’s introductory press conference and stood near the lectern, phone in hand, snapping pictures and taking video.
The Titans are counting on Ward to thrive under new coordinator Brian Daboll. The former Giants coach has contributed to successful careers of Tom Brady, Josh Allen and most recently Jaxson Dart, New York’s first-round pick last year and Ward’s draft classmate.
They also plan, for now, to keep Will Levis, 26, on the roster. The one-time starter under Callahan spent last season on injured reserve with a foot injury. A secondr-round draft pick in 2023 with a 5-16 record as a starter, Levis was never healthy enough to participate in an expected competition with Ward to be the No. 1 quarterback in 2025.
Saleh had separate stints in San Francisco where the importance of the backup quarterback position was never undersold.
“I’ll tell you what I told him: Attack this offseason. Have the best offseason of your life and we’ll see what happens,” Saleh said.
The Titans are in regular communication with two other veterans expected to be released: cornerback L’Jarius Sneed and wide receiver Calvin Ridley. Saleh did not divulge the nature of those talks, but implied he plans to work with the players the front office and management gives him.
“To be honest, you’re going to continue to push the scheme and you’re going to continue to develop what you have,” he said. “We’re going to go through OTAs, we’re going to go through training camp, and no different than the players learning us, we’re going to learn our players. We’ll continue to tweak our scheme based on who we have and what we’re capable of doing.”
–Field Level Media
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