Tennessee
Titans Leave Questions for First Overall Pick
As the Tennessee Titans have continued to unravel their free agency moves, many around the league have begun to put the pieces together to outline the team’s plans for their highly-anticipated number-one pick.
As the Titans have remained diligent in preparing their offensive line with two new starters in Dan Moore Jr. and Kevin Zeitler, while also not making any major moves to their quarterback room, it’s begun to lead to the belief that Tennessee will inevitably target a signal caller with their top selection on the board come late April.
Yet, a few faces around the league still don’t see the Titans’ plans to be completely finalized at number-one.
According to ESPN draft analyst Matt Miller, despite considerable chatter around the Titans and potential plans to draft a quarterback atop the board, he still sees a world where Tennessee goes in another direction.
“After Tennesse designed free agent Dan Moore Jr. to play left tackle, folks on social media proclaimed the Titans were drafting Miami quarterback Cam Ward with the No. 1 overall pick,” Miller wrote. “Signing Moore shouldn’t be the move that cements that. In fact, it’s still unclear how Tennessee is leaning at No. 1… There is the option of Levis returning as the starter with an improved offensive line. Drafting a quarterback isn’t a lock, even if it remains a big need.”
The hype around Ward has seemingly only grown since the season’s wrapped up, but that doesn’t mean Tennessee is locked in at upgrading their quarterback room at one.
Other appealing blue-chip prospects will also be up for grabs, and with two names like Abdul Carter and Travis Hunter also filling positions of need, in the eyes of Miller, that could further add to the appeal of the chances Tennessee goes with a non-quarterback.
“We can’t forget that the Titans also released Harold Landry III, their top pass rusher from last season, and haven’t yet replaced him,” Miller continued. “All options are on the table for Tennessee. The team’s clear-cut needs at quarterback, wide receiver, defensive end and cornerback would make drafting Ward, Penn State edge rusher Abdul Carter or Colorado wide receiver/cornerback Travis Hunter viable possibilities. And that’s not factoring a potential trade, if the Titans find a team willing to make a strong deal. There wasn’t one clear move that tipped what Tennessee will do.”
Tons of time still remains between now and decision-making time for the Titans, and a few remaining components of the pre-draft process still remain with events like interviews, workouts, and pro day performances for the top guys on the board.
Ward may be the early favorite, but if another top guy does enough to boost his stock with the Titans brass, or another team offers a package that can’t be passed on, don’t be shocked to see the front office opt to go with another option as opposed to the Miami product.
The 2025 NFL Draft will officially kick off on Thursday, April, 24th in Green Bay, WI.
Make sure you bookmark Tennessee Titans on SI for the latest news, exclusive interviews, film breakdowns and so much more!
Tennessee
Chronic wasting disease in Tennessee whitetail deer continues creeping eastward
WAYNE COUNTY, Tenn. — Chronic wasting disease (CWD) in whitetail deer continues creeping in an eastward direction in Tennessee.
The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA) has received the first-ever positive chronic wasting disease (CWD) test result in a road-killed deer found in Wayne County. Since Wayne County is already within the current CWD Management Zone, wildlife feeding and carcass transportation restrictions are already in place.
This means CWD has now been confirmed in 20 of Tennessee’s 95 counties. This is the third county where CWD has been confirmed East of Kentucky Lake, what some people hope might provide at least a partial impediment to CWD’s eastward expansion. The first CWD case confirmed in Tennessee came in 2018. Of course several cases have also been more recently identified in the northwest corner of Alabama.
In Wayne County, there are no changes to the deer hunting season dates and regulations. However, hunters are now eligible for the Earn-a-Buck Program. Hunters can earn additional bucks by harvesting antlerless deer in Wayne County and submitting them for testing. Hunters who have already submitted antlerless deer for testing this fall will be provided an earned buck. For more details on the CWD Management Zone and Incentive Programs, visit CWDinTN.org.
As a reminder, Wayne County is subject to the following wildlife feeding and carcass transportation restrictions:
- Deer carcasses can move within and between counties in the CWD Management Zone.
- Hunters may not move whole or field-dressed deer carcasses or unapproved parts outside of the CWD Management Zone. Only approved parts may be moved out of the CWD Management Zone.
- Once a carcass is brought into the CWD Management Zone, it cannot be moved out of the zone.
- Approved parts are free to be transported anywhere statewide. Approved parts are listed below:
- Deboned meat
- Antlers, antlers attached to cleaned skull plates, cleaned skulls (where no meat or tissues are attached to the skull)
- Cleaned teeth
- Finished taxidermy and antler products
- Hides and tanned products
- Within the CWD Management Zone, the placement of grain, salt products, minerals, and other consumable natural and manufactured products is prohibited.
- Feeding restrictions do not apply if the feed or minerals are:
- Placed within one hundred (100) feet of any residence or occupied building; or
- Placed in such a manner to reasonably exclude access by deer; or
- Placed as part of a wild hog management effort authorized by the agency; or present from normal agricultural practices, normal forest management practices, or crop and wildlife food production practices.
Hunter’s participation in CWD testing is critical for the continued surveillance and monitoring of CWD throughout the state.
Hunters can access CWD testing through participating taxidermists and meat processors or by using drop-off freezers.
The Wayne County drop-off freezer is available at: Beech Creek Fire Hall, 5775 Beech Creek Road, Waynesboro, TN 38485.
CWD is a progressive, fatal disease of the nervous system of cervids, including white-tailed deer, mule deer, elk, and moose.
The agency partners with certified laboratories to test samples, and TWRA has already submitted approximately 8,400 samples for testing this hunting season.
Tennessee
Titans QB Cam Ward Talks Past, Present and Future
NASHVILLE – Cam Ward discussed the past, present and the future on Wednesday.
During his regularly scheduled session with reporters, the Titans quarterback also discussed what it’s been like handling the pressure of being the number one pick and the face of the franchise.
“I just wake up and go about my business, honestly,” Ward said. “I don’t really see no pressure. I mean, I get to do something every day that I like to do. I’m going to always remember the hard times that I went through my rookie year. I’ll remember the good plays that I made in my rookie year. I’ll remember how many reporters came to report on the team one year. And I’ll remember in the next couple of years when there’s a lot more reporters out here trying to get footage on us.
“You’ve just got to continue to take your day by day process. We continue to feed into each other as the locker room, continue to give emphasis on the coaching staff, what we’re looking for ahead. And we’re ready to turn it back around.”
In 14 starts this season, Ward has thrown for 2,638 yards with 11 touchdown passes and seven interceptions.
He needs just 181 pass yards to break Marcus Mariota’s Tennessee record with 2,818 passing yards (in 2015).
Ward has shown improvement in recent weeks – he has back-to-back games with two touchdown passes (zero such games in his first 12 starts) and this past Sunday was his first career game without taking a sack (3.8 sacks per game in Weeks 1-14).
Ward discussed some of the highs and lows of his rookie season.
Ward said he feels like he hasn’t had his signature game yet while saying “I don’t think I’ll ever have a signature game in my career, honestly.”
“Every game there’s going to be some bad tape,” he said. “Whether it’s one play, two plays, from myself or another teammate. So I don’t really try to chase having a perfect game. I try to just chase having a good play every play. Because at the end of the day, I’m going to have a bad play. I’m going to throw another interception. I’m going to fumble the ball again at some point in my career. So the more I can continue to stress myself, limit the little bad plays and just continue to build on what I already know, what I’m good at, and then just continue to put the ball in space to my playmakers, I think that will serve me better in the long term.”
The Titans face the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday, and after that the team has games left vs the Saints and Jaguars.
Ward knows there will be changes on the horizon, including the team naming a new head coach for 2026.
Ward on Wednesday was asked if he wants to meet the head coaching candidates during the process.
He said he’s actually talked to Mike Borgonzi and Chad Brinker about the process.
“I want to meet all of them,” Ward said. “Every coach who’s going to get the opportunity to come here, I want to meet them, have conversations throughout the whole process with them because that’s someone that I’m going to be here with for that time. So, we got to just continue to — me being around and being open to it no matter whoever we try to hire because I know at the end of the day who we do hire is going to be the right fit for us. Whether it’s a defensive person or an offensive person, they’re going to make sure that every person is in the right place, and make sure every person is set up for success.
“Yeah, I have had a conversation with them about wanting to be involved. They know how much I want to be involved. And then especially just not even with the scheme part of it just as the head coach who he is on a everyday basis. And then, we’ll get into the scheme what I know I’m good at, what I want do, what he thinks will also help me.”
Tennessee
Tennessee football QB Jake Merklinger plans to enter transfer portal
Tennessee quarterback Jake Merklinger plans to enter the transfer portal, Knox News has confirmed.
On3.com and Rivals.com were the first to report Merklinger’s decision. The transfer portal opens on Jan. 2.
Merklinger has also opted out of the Music City Bowl. No. 23 Tennessee (8-4) plays Illinois (8-4) on Dec. 30 (5:30 p.m. ET, ESPN) in Nashville. Starter Joey Aguilar will play in the bowl game, so Merklinger was not expected to be a factor. Freshman George MacIntyre will serve as the backup.
Merklinger spent two seasons at Tennessee but barely played and failed to win the starting job. He played six games and went 19-of-33 passing for 221 yards and two touchdowns.
In 2024, Merklinger was a third-string freshman when Nico Iamaleava started. In 2025, he competed for the starting job but lost to transfer Joey Aguilar.
By the end of the 2025 season, Merklinger was neck and neck with freshman George MacIntyre for the backup job. And it didn’t appear that Merklinger would factor in the starting job in 2026.
Merklinger, a native of Savannah, Georgia, was a four-star recruit in the 2024 class. He has three seasons of eligibility remaining.
Adam Sparks is the Tennessee football beat reporter. Email adam.sparks@knoxnews.com. X, formerly known as Twitter@AdamSparks. Support strong local journalism by subscribing at knoxnews.com/subscribe.
Get the latest news and insight on SEC football by subscribing to the SEC Unfiltered newsletter, delivered straight to your inbox.
-
Iowa3 days agoAddy Brown motivated to step up in Audi Crooks’ absence vs. UNI
-
Washington1 week agoLIVE UPDATES: Mudslide, road closures across Western Washington
-
Iowa5 days agoHow much snow did Iowa get? See Iowa’s latest snowfall totals
-
Maine2 days agoElementary-aged student killed in school bus crash in southern Maine
-
Maryland3 days agoFrigid temperatures to start the week in Maryland
-
South Dakota4 days agoNature: Snow in South Dakota
-
Technology1 week agoThe Game Awards are losing their luster
-
Nebraska1 week agoNebraska lands commitment from DL Jayden Travers adding to early Top 5 recruiting class