Austin Schlottmann says he is competing for Tennessee’s center job by focusing on getting better each day

Austin Schlottmann arrived in Nashville with a clear message: when training camp begins, his task is to put himself in the best position to win the starting center job, not to treat that spot as automatic. The Tennessee Titans are looking for consistency in the middle of the offensive line, and Schlottmann’s posture reflects the way NFL jobs are actually earned, through daily execution and repeated wins in practice.

Schlottmann, who signed with the Titans in March, linked his decision to join the organization with familiarity in the coaching staff. Brian Daboll is in place as Tennessee’s offensive coordinator, and Carmen Bricillo was hired as the offensive line coach. According to the Titans, Schlottmann played his best football with Daboll and Bricillo previously, and he is now trying to translate that working relationship into a starting role in Tennessee’s front five.

The Titans have described Schlottmann’s mindset heading into camp as one of competition rather than entitlement. He has spent his career operating the hard way, moving through roster battles as teams changed around him and brought in new players. In the team’s account of his approach, Schlottmann emphasized focusing on himself, improving day to day, and being the best version of his preparation habits every day.

On the field, the argument for Schlottmann begins with his experience. The Titans’ team story notes that he has appeared in 85 NFL games with 18 starts across seven seasons. In 2025, he played for the New York Giants, appearing in 17 games with four starts and recording snaps on both offense and special teams. That blend matters in the pre-season evaluation period, when coaches look not only for upside at a single spot, but also for dependable reps across units as lineups settle.

Tennessee’s training camp competition is not limited to one position. Reports around Schlottmann’s arrival have also pointed to internal battles along the interior and near it, with the center job and adjacent roles generating attention as the unit gels. Schlottmann, by design, is making his bid by treating each practice as part of the job interview, including the kind of work that can show up on film even if it does not headline the daily depth-chart updates.

The contract context adds another layer. Coverage of Schlottmann’s offseason move has characterized it as a three-year agreement worth $7 million. Whether that figure guarantees a starting job is not how NFL roster logic works, but it does report that the organization believes he can be a meaningful part of the offensive line’s short-term plan and development arc.

What to watch next is how quickly Schlottmann claims reps with the starters as camp unfolds, and whether the Titans’ coaching staff sees the same chemistry in practice that Schlottmann remembers from his time working with Daboll and Bricillo. If he continues to win consistently in the center run-pass exchange, slide protection assignments, and snap-to-snap communication, his “focus on yourself” approach will likely translate into more first-team work. If not, Tennessee’s camp competition will remain exactly that, a job fight decided by performance, not by arrival.