The Tennessee Titans kicked off the opening salvo of training camp when rookies reported on Thursday and are just days away from taking the field.The Titans changed almost everything during the offseason, with an upgraded staff led by head coach Robert Saleh, a retooled roster, and even a new organizational brand, setting higher expectations heading into the 2026 season. With so many new faces, it will be interesting to watch the team come together and build a solid foundation.This is also true of the staff, the new coordinators, and the position coaches. Where Jourdan Rodrigue of The Athletic believes new nickelback coach Dalton Hilliard could be a coach to watch on Salehs staff.Tennessee Titans: Dalton Hilliard, defensive backs/nickelsHilliard will be in his first NFL coaching season after a decade in college football. While Tennessees new coaching staff is a bit of a wild card, its structure shows real potential and part of my reasoning starts with Hilliard. To split the three DBs coaches (safeties, cornerbacks, nickels) into more specific designations is interesting in itself and extremely in tune with the modern game. But to have a coach in Hilliard who will specialize in nickel players (whether corner, safety, or hybrid linebacker) speaks even further to how head coach Robert Saleh wants to react to the latest offensive evolutions that force defenses to cover move players of all sizes, from tight ends (including out of heavier personnel groupings) to fullbacks and large slot receivers. This might be a really smart way to structure a defensive staff in this era, and Hilliard will play a key role in that.Training camp practices kick off on July 29, and the offseason speculation can finally come to an end. On paper, the Titans look much improved, but the coaching staff will have to come through and put the new pieces together in a way that can help lead them back into contention.Hilliard will definitely have his hands full developing the Titans nickel backs, which enter camp led by Marcus Harris, who flashed some abilities as a rookie before ending the season on injured reserve.This article originally appeared on Titans Wire: Which Titans' assistant is named a coach on the rise in 2026?