SerpApi.Org
At last, Titans Wire has reached the end of the training camp previews and will finish them off with the specialists, and for the most part, the Tennessee Titans will look similar to what they looked like in 2025 when, under John “Bones” Fassel, the special teams units took a huge step forward.
Punter
The only change to the four primary specialists will be at punter, where veteran Tommy Townsend will take over for Johnny Hekker, who left as a free agent. Tennessee signed Townsend to a two-year contract worth up to $6 million.
Townsend most recently kicked with the Houston Texans, where he finished inside the Top 5 in total punts (72), longest punt (73 yards), and punts inside the 20 (30), and looks to be another consistent weapon for John Fassel’s special teams units.
Kicker
After looking around in free agency, the Titans decided to bring back kicker Joey Slye on another one-year deal to handle their kicking duties in 2026.
Known for his erratic but strong leg, Slye had a solid first season in Nashville, connecting on 28-of-35 field goals in 2025. But a deeper look at his accuracy shows what kind of weapon he can be. Slye was perfect under 40 yards, and only missed two between 40-49 yards. But it was his accuracy over 50 yards that took a hit, 9-of-14, with some of those attempts over 60 yards.
Long Snapper
The Titans also brought back long-term long snapper Morgan Cox on a one-year contract during the offseason.
Cox has been a steady influence and a veteran special-teams presence since signing with the Titans in 2021, after 11 years with the Baltimore Ravens. A five-time Pro Bowler, Cox has been a team captain in Nashville over the past three seasons and was named to his fifth Pro Bowl following the 2022 season.
Return specialist
The Titans’ return game took off in 2025 when Chimere Dike burst onto the scene, breaking Tim Brown's decades-long record for all-purpose yards as a rookie, while leading the league and earning Pro Bowl and All-Pro recognition. Dike will be back for his second season, and with a better surrounding cast on both offense and defense, he may have even more of an opportunity to make an impact.
If Dike takes on a bigger role as a receiver on offense, undrafted rookie free agent wide receiver Hank Beatty could be a player to keep an eye on as a player who could make an impact in the return game.
This article originally appeared on Titans Wire: Titans training camp preview: The specialist are set
