The Titans have elected to add a young receiver to their roster.
Tennessee has signed TJ Sheffield after he tried out for the team at rookie minicamp over the weekend, according to agent Brett Tessler.
Sheffield started his college career in 2019 at Purdue, spending five years with the program. He transferred to UConn for his final season in 2024. He caught 54 passes for 505 yards with three touchdowns last year.
In 59 career college games, Sheffield caught 172 passes for 1,714 yards with 14 TDs.
Titans rookie quarterback Cam Ward impressed his rookie teammates with his work at minicamp practice, and he says he’s eager to earn the respect of the veterans as well.
Ward said that his veteran teammates are going to see someone committed to winning and committed to making himself great and making the Titans great.
“I’m about business. I really want to be a pro. I want to be one of the great ones. And I just want to be a good teammate at the end of the day. I want to win a lot of football games in my career,” Ward said.
Ward also said it’s important to him that everyone in the Titans’ facility, not just players and coaches, knows what he’s all about.
“Learning the custodians’ names, the cafeteria, we’ve got a great building,” Ward said.
And Ward believes he’s at the start of a great NFL career.
The No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 draft hasn’t gotten the attention he deserves, mainly because there was little mystery — for weeks — that he’d be the first player selected.
Titans quarterback Cam Ward generated some buzz during his first on-field work, at the Titans’ rookie minicamp.
“He’s just a great leader,” rookie tight end Gunnar Helm said, via Turron Davenport of ESPN.com. “Super easy to talk to, super easy to connect with, super easy to communicate with on the field.”
Rookie receiver Chimere Dike agreed.
“Cam’s been great working with us receivers,” Dike said, per Davenport. “He’s a really good leader and has that presence on the field and throws the ball really well.”
Rookie receiver Elic Ayomanor had a separate observation about Ward’s arm — and about the adjustment it will require.
“He gets the ball out really fast,” Ayomanor said, “which is great and something I have to get used to.”
If Ward lives up to his draft position, plenty of people will have to get used to seeing what he can do. The Titans haven’t had a franchise quarterback since Steve McNair. If Ward can earn that title, the Titans could become a force in the AFC South, and a factor in upcoming postseasons.
The Titans have another member of their draft class under contract.
Fourth-round pick Gunnar Helm is the latest to sign his four-year rookie deal. The tight end is the sixth of the team’s nine draft picks to finalize his contract. First-round quarterback Cam Ward, second-round linebacker Oluwafemi Oladejo, and fourth-round wide receiver Chimere Dike remain unsigned.
Helm caught 19 passes at Texas over the 2022 and 2023 seasons, but broke out with 60 receptions for 786 receiving yards and seven touchdowns during the 2024 campaign.
Chig Okonkwo, Josh Whyle, David Martin-Robinson, and Thomas Odukoya are the other tight ends on the 90-man roster in Tennessee.
The Titans have signed five of their 2025 draft picks.
Sixth-round running back Kalel Mullings’s agreement on a four-year deal was previously reported. They have also signed third-round safety Kevin Winston Jr., fourth-round wide receiver Elic Ayomanor, fifth-round guard Jackson Slater, and sixth-round cornerback Marcus Harris.
Four other picks, including first overall pick Cam Ward, remain unsigned.
One of Ward’s college teammates was among 16 undrafted rookie signings. Wide receiver Xavier Restrepo was an All-American in 2024 and he is Miami’s all-time leading receiver.
The Titans also signed Utah running back Micah Bernard, Auburn defensive tackle Phillip Blidi, San Diego State offensive lineman Brandon Crenshaw-Dickson, UNC linebacker Desmond Evans, Texans linebacker David Gbenda, Iowa cornerback Jermari Harris, Western Kentucky defensive back Garnett Hollis Jr., Boston College defensive lineman Cam Horsley, Penn State defensive back Jalen Kimber, West Florida defensive back Virgil Lemons, Syracuse defensive back Clarence Lewis, Northern Illinois defensive lineman Devonte O’Malley, Auburn defensive lineman Isaiah Raikes, Memphis defensive back Davion Ross, and Auburn defensive back Jerrin Thompson.
