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Titans' center battle named one of NFL's top camp competitions
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- Titans' center battle named one of NFL's top camp competitions
The Tennessee Titans enter the 2026 season with a second-year quarterback, a revamped coaching staff, and high expectations for an improved offense. However, one key position remains unsettled.
According to ESPN, Tennessee's battle for the starting center job is one of the most intriguing position competitions across the NFL heading into the heart of training camp. Here's what Titans NFL Nation reporter Turron Davenport had to say about the competition:
Head coach Robert Saleh said Austin Schlottmann would start off with the first team at center. His previous experience with offensive coordinator Brian Daboll and offensive line coach Carmen Bricillo give him the inside track to the starting spot. But don't forget about rookie Pat Coogan or veteran Andre James , who was a late addition during minicamp. James' 61 career starts are plenty more than Schlottmann's 18, and he played for Bricillo before with the Raiders . Coogan is a long shot to win the job but a virtual lock to make the roster. That means whichever veteran doesn't win the starting job could be in jeopardy of not making the 53-man roster.
With Austin Schlottmann, Andre James, and rookie Pat Coogan all in the mix, the Titans have no shortage of options, but only one can earn the starting role.
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This decision has huge implications
Protecting QB Cam Ward is high on the priority list despite the Titans' offseason of not adding solidified options at center. Schlottmann was signed as a free agent to follow his former coach Brian Daboll to help with understanding the offense.
However, with a limited number of starts, he doesn't feel like a sure thing, especially at age 30. Adding the experienced Andre James to the team later in the offseason increases the pressure on Schlottman to hold on to becoming a full-time starter for the first time in his career.
That sort of uncertainty isn't ideal, but the Titans also have a young developing prospect competing with the veterans. With the sixth-round rookie Coogan expected to make the team, whichever veteran loses the competition could find himself fighting.
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As the team begins padded practices this week, this position will be one of the Titans' most closely watched competitions.
This article originally appeared on Titans Wire: Titans' center battle named one of NFL's top camp competitions
