Titans' new-look defensive front eager to 'get pads on' in Robert Saleh's fast defense

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Defensive end Jeremiah Johnson II cannot wait until the Tennessee Titans finally put the pads on.

Neither can his teammates, especially along the line.

“Honestly, they don’t know what’s coming when we get pads on," Johnson said Thursday. "But we say that in the best way possible. We’re just eager to really play this front the right way, and you can only do that with pads on, so we’re just very excited.”

The Titans not only have a new head coach in Robert Saleh, they are implementing his defense to smother opposing offenses and get after quarterbacks.

It's why Tennessee gave All-Pro tackle Jeffery Simmons a pricey contract extension in June and revamped the line around him this offseason. The Titans traded for Johnson, signed John Franklin-Myers to play beside Simmons and traded into the back of the first round of the April draft for end Keldric Faulk.

They also have Oluwafemi “Femi” Oladejo, the 52nd pick overall last year. He played six games before a leg injury ended his season.

Saleh brought in line coach Aaron Whitecotton, who worked with him with the New York Jets. Johnson knows what Saleh wants having played for the coach in New York as well, and he said this defense starts with the front.

“Everybody in that room has the same mindset, and if you don't, you will stick out very, very quickly,” Johnson said.

Simmons' career-high 11 sacks last season helped Tennessee tie for the 12th-most sacks in the NFL with 42. The stat that matters most in this league is points, and the Titans ranked 28th, giving up 28.1 points a game. That's also where they ranked inside the red zone backed up to their own goal line.

The lineman is Tennessee's longest-tenured player going into his eighth season with this franchise alongside safety Amani Hooker. Simmons trained with Franklin-Myers during the offseason, and he likes the defensive changes.

“It’s just faster," Simmons said. "Everything in this defense, in this style of play, is fast and violent.”

Franklin-Myers, who has had at least seven sacks each of the past two seasons with Denver, said the linemen know what's expected of them as Tennessee tries to snap a skid of four straight losing seasons.

“The team runs through us, we understand that," Franklin-Myers said. "It’s stated, and it’s understood. So the team goes as we go, and it starts with effort, it starts with violence, physicality, and the rest of it is going to take care of itself.”

The 26th overall pick in 2022, Johnson has a Pro Bowl designation for 2023 when he had 7 1/2 sacks with the Jets. Then he tore his right Achilles tendon on Sept. 15, 2023, in Nashville against the Titans. He started 13 of 14 games last season for the Jets who sent him to Tennessee for defensive tackle T'Vondre Sweat.

Johnson has 13 career sacks and said he wants at least 10 sacks this season as an effective run defender as well.

“I don't really care about potential talk anymore,” Johnson said. "I got to go do something this year, and I believe I'm top five, top 10 in my position in the NFL. But that's not the case statistically, and I got to go change that.”

Right tackle JC Latham was activated off the physically unable to perform list Thursday as he works his way back from an injured pectoral muscle. Wide receiver Calvin Ridley returned to practice after dealing with a stomach bug. Backup quarterback Mitch Trubisky also was back at practice after tightness limited him Wednesday.

Tennessee swapped safeties, signing Hudson Clark and waiving as injured Sanoussi Kane who had an interception off Will Levis in the first practice of camp Wednesday.

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Tennessee Titans defensive end Oluwafemi Oladejo (7) runs through a drill during the NFL football team's training camp Thursday, July 30, 2026, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)

Tennessee Titans defensive end Keldric Faulk (15) runs through a drill during the NFL football team's training camp Thursday, July 30, 2026, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)

Tennessee Titans defensive end Jermaine Johnson II (11) runs though a drill during the NFL football team's training camp Thursday, July 30, 2026, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)

Tennessee Titans defensive lineman John Franklin-Myers speaks at a news conference during the NFL football team's training camp Wednesday, July 29, 2026, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)

Tennessee Titans defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons runs though a drill during the NFL football team's training camp Thursday, July 30, 2026, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Mandela Barnes dropped out of Democratic primary for Wisconsin governor on Thursday amid news that the state party had reviewed past allegations of inappropriate behavior, further shaking up the race less than two weeks before the Aug. 11 election.

The former lieutenant governor made the announcement in a video posted on his Facebook page as democratic socialist Francesca Hong has garnered strong support from the liberal wing of the party.

Barnes’ decision to drop out came a day after the release of a Marquette Law School poll of Wisconsin Democratic primary voters that found Hong leading Barnes and the other candidates by a significant margin, although about one-third of primary voters remained undecided.

“It's become very clear who our nominee is going to be,” Barnes said.

Barnes’ move came on the same day that the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported that it had asked Barnes about allegations of inappropriate behavior lodged with the state Democratic Party, local party officials and others against him.

The Wisconsin Democratic Party received an anonymous letter in 2024 and again in 2025 making allegations against Barnes, a person with direct knowledge of the party’s actions told The Associated Press. The person was not authorized to speak publicly about the review.

The party hired a law firm in 2025 to look into claims that Barnes used his position in the party to seek out inappropriate relationships with young adult women, the person said. The review found nothing actionable because the allegations were anonymous and unspecific, the person with knowledge of the probe said.

Barnes' campaign issued a statement saying, “There are no allegations of misconduct or wrongdoing against Mandela.”

Barnes is the third Democrat to withdraw from the race. Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez ended her run amid a campaign finance scandal two weeks ago and former state economic development director Missy Hughes dropped out in June.

After Rodriguez ended her campaign, Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley rejoined the race with the endorsement of Gov. Tony Evers.

Crowley made a direct plea to Barnes' supporters to back him.

“There's a place for you in what we're building,” he posted on social media.

Evers told reporters Thursday that he was surprised by Barnes’ move.

“But he needs to do what he needs to do,” Evers said. “I don’t know why he’s getting out. I have to believe it’s something relatively important.”

Evers said he stuck by his endorsement of Crowley, who worked closely with Evers and Republican lawmakers on a deal to increase funding for local communities. Evers chose to endorse him over Barnes, who served as his lieutenant governor in his first term.

Evers said Crowley was the best candidate “even if Mandela was in.”

Hong did not immediately return a text message seeking comment.

Joel Brennan, a longshot candidate in the race, said “It’s unfortunate for voters that this primary has gotten more attention for chaos than the stakes of this election."

The shake-up comes after nearly 128,000 voters have already returned absentee ballots and on the third day of in-person early voting. On Wednesday, a judge rejected a lawsuit supported by the Democratic Party seeking to allow voters who have already returned their absentee ballots to cancel them and vote again.

The winner of the Democratic primary is expected to face U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany, who faces only nominal opposition in the Republican primary. Tiffany, who has the endorsement of President Donald Trump, said it's become clear the race will be a choice between a “socialist agenda” or “common sense.”

“This election is not about red versus blue,” he said. “It is about whether Wisconsin stays Wisconsin.”

Barnes ending his campaign comes after he benefited from other candidates dropping out in the Democratic primary race for Senate in 2022 to clear the field for him. He ended up losing by under 27,000 votes that year to Republican U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson.

Democratic gubernatorial candidate Francesca Hong talks during a primary debate in Milwaukee, Tuesday, July 28, 2026. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

Democratic gubernatorial candidate Mandela Barnes talks during a primary debate in Milwaukee, Tuesday, July 28, 2026. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

Democratic gubernatorial candidate Francesca Hong poses for a photo Friday, July 24, 2026, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

FILE - Wisconsin U.S. Senate candidate Mandela Barnes speaks at a rally Oct. 29, 2022, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Morry Gash, File)