Titans News: Gunnar Helm Positioned for Breakout Year
Gunnar Helm quietly put together a productive debut season for the Tennessee Titans in 2025, and the circumstances surrounding the franchise heading into 2026 suggest his role is only going to grow.
The fourth-round pick out of Texas finished his first professional season with 44 receptions for 357 yards and two touchdowns on 54 targets, one of the better statistical lines among tight ends in his draft class. His catch rate of 80 percent ranked among the top ten at the position, and he generated 164 yards after the catch, a number that reflects genuine ability to create in space rather than simply secure short targets and fall down.
The Titans’ offense was one of the worst in the NFL in 2025, ranking 29th in passing yards per game, 30th in rushing yards, and 30th in points scored. Head coach Brian Callahan was fired six games into the season. Cam Ward, the first overall pick of the 2025 draft, was sacked a league-high 55 times and finished with 15 touchdowns and seven interceptions. The offense, by any measure, was a wreck.
That should change in 2026. The Titans hired former New York Jets head coach Robert Saleh and brought in former New York Giants head coach Brian Daboll as offensive coordinator. Daboll’s track record as a developer of young quarterbacks, particularly with Josh Allen in Buffalo, is the central reason for optimism in Nashville. For Helm, that matters because Daboll has historically leaned on tight ends as safety valves and extension pieces in his passing schemes.
The tight end room has been reshuffled. Chig Okonkwo, who led the Titans in receiving last season with 54 catches for 560 yards, signed with the Washington Commanders in free agency. To replace him, Daboll moved quickly to sign Daniel Bellinger, a former Giants tight end he coached directly, to a three-year, $24 million deal. Bellinger’s arrival means Helm will face legitimate competition at the position. But per multiple reports, the expectation within the organization is that Helm profiles as the long-term starter and that this is Daboll’s way of providing depth while Helm continues to develop.
The Titans have also dramatically upgraded the weapons around Ward at wide receiver. Wan’Dale Robinson signed a four-year, $78 million deal, reuniting with Daboll after posting 92 catches for 1,014 yards in 2025. Calvin Ridley agreed to a restructured deal and will remain in Tennessee. And in the draft, the Titans used the fourth overall pick on Ohio State standout Carnell Tate, a 6-foot-2, 192-pound downfield threat who led the Big Ten in receiving yards as a senior.
The addition of those receivers could cut into Helm’s target share. But a more functional offense that generates sustained drives and red zone opportunities stands to benefit every pass-catcher in the room, and Helm’s floor as a receiver, not a blocking tight end, fits squarely within Daboll’s system.