The Tennessee Titans finished the preseason on a high note, knocking off the Minnesota Vikings 23-13 this past Friday and ending their preseason with a 2-1 record. The Titans still have a lot of work to do before their season opener against the Broncos on September 7.

This includes making final cuts for the 53-man roster within the next few days and finalising their depth chart going forward. With the Titans needing improvement on both ends of the football, these three players could be the difference makers the Titans need this season.

Tajae Spears

Spears is off to a rough start this year as he found himself missing most of the preseason with a high ankle sprain. Spears has been a solid RB2 with the Titans since they drafted him in 2023, as he combined for 800+ yards his rookie year and 536 yards in just 12 games last year.

The young runner has the making of an RB1, and is also a perfect third-down back. He averages right around seven yards per catch and four yards per carry, both impressive to say the least for a career backup so far in his career.

However, with Cam Ward coming in to play QB, Tony Pollard will have a lot of pressure on him with fewer reps than he saw last year. With that being said, this could open the door for Spears to have a comeback season.

If Spears is healthy, he can definitely eclipse 1,000 yards this season, but time will tell if his ankle will hold up for the entirety of a 17-game season.

Cedric Gray

The Titans may have found a diamond in the rough with Gray, as he has been a man on a mission this preseason. Gray put up 12 total tackles in his last two preseason games, eight being solo tackles. He also logged one tackle for loss, one QB hit, and half a sack to go along with those tackles.

Gray was a fourth-round pick out of North Carolina in last year's draft, but didn’t see much playing time last year until the back half of the season, where he started to grab people's attention, which including a 15-tackle effort against the Indianapolis Colts on December 22.

Gray reminds me a lot of Jack Gibbens when he first broke onto the scene in Tennessee. He's a smart player who knows where to be at all times and finishes his hits consistently. Mike Vrabel was wise in bringing Gibbens to the Patriots, and I think Gray will be a perfect replacement.

It is undetermined whether or not Gray will start or not, but he currently holds the second-string left inside linebacker spot at the moment. With an increase in playing time, no matter the situation, Gray could be an elite piece to the Titans' defense this year.

Chigoziem Okonkwo

Okonkwo has been a decent tight end in his three years with the Titans, but he has yet to be great. Okonkwo has only hit 500 yards once in his career, even with an increase in targets and receptions over the last two seasons.

The Titans haven’t had a good tight end since Jonnu Smith was on the team, and I think that is because they haven’t utilized their tight ends enough. Smith and Okonkwo share a similar build and have shown glimpses of similarities as players. Okonkwo needs to be mixed into the offense more and block less. With the Titans drafting Gunnar Helm in the fourth round this year, you could see him blocking up front more, as he is the bigger of the two ends.

This would open him up for the passing game and give the Titans another threat. In a contract season for Okonkwo, he needs to prove his worth ... or this could be his last season as a Titan.