DETROIT, MICHIGAN - OCTOBER 27: JC Latham #55 of the Tennessee Titans plays against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field on October 27, 2024 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA - AUGUST 13: Head coach Robert Saleh of the Tennessee Titans looks on from the sidelines prior to the start of the game against the San Francisco 49ers at Levi's Stadium on August 13, 2026 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
The Tennessee Titans haven't made the NFL playoffs since 2021.
They'll be aiming to end that streak in the upcoming 2026 campaign. For that to happen, they'll need a big season from one particular player.
GettyDETROIT, MICHIGAN – OCTOBER 27: JC Latham #55 of the Tennessee Titans plays against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field on October 27, 2024 in Detroit, Michigan. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
ESPN's Ben Solak recently named the biggest X-Factor for every team in the league heading into the '26 season, and the pick for the Titans was offensive tackle JC Latham, who Tennessee selected with the No. 7 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. Solak cited Latham's continued development as key for Tennessee's offense.
"I can see the diamond in the rough in Latham. He is 6-foot-5 and 340 pounds with great length, and those dimensions allow him to be effective despite imperfect technique and poor leverage. He has had a rough go of it through two seasons — he switched from college right tackle to NFL left tackle as a rookie, then back to right tackle in his second season, during which a hip injury hampered his play — but there's a functional starter there in his game," Solak wrote.
"At his best, Latham can be a road grader in the running game, and a year removed from his hip injury should alleviate some of his balance and leverage concerns. A stronger season in pass protection would give Cam Ward a better pocket from which he can develop the subtler skills of pocket management. If the goal in Tennessee is the development of Ward, the player to watch is Latham."
After starting 30 total games for Tennessee over his first two seasons, the Titans will be counting on Latham to take another step forward in 2o26.
GettySANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA – AUGUST 13: Head coach Robert Saleh of the Tennessee Titans looks on from the sidelines prior to the start of the game against the San Francisco 49ers at Levi's Stadium on August 13, 2026 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
One person who is expecting a big 2026 season from Latham is Titans head coach Robert Saleh, who had high praise for the third-year player at the onset of training camp last month.
"JC's worked his tail off, man. I know he had a little setback at the end of OTAs. With the (pectoral), but give him credit, he stayed here the entire summer he's worked relentlessly to get back in, to get that thing back to the strength he's needed, he's at a really, really good weight to allow him to have footspeed," Saleh said.
The man doesn't have a weight problem, he holds it really well, he's got a lot of lean muscle mass, he looks really, really good. But he understands that he doesn't need to be as big. The bigger you are, the less foot speed, and he's attacked the heck out of it and I'm really excited for it, for the season he's going to have."
The 2026 season will provide an excellent opportunity for Latham. Let's see if he can take advantage of it.
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