Category: Titans

Offseason Needs: Tennessee Titans

Team Needs, Titans
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1. Offensive Guard
The Tennessee Titans running game has stalled over the past few years, and while some of the blame should fall on Chris Johnson, he hasn’ t been supported by the offensive line. Steve Hutchinson is a Hall of Famer, but he’s 35 and doesn’t have much left in the tank. Chance Warmack could be an option in the first round.

2. Strong Safety
Jordan Babineaux has been a weak link in the secondary for the past few years and it’s time for the Titans to bring in some competition. Matt Elam would be an ideal replacement in the second round.

3. Tight End
Jared Cook is an unrestricted free agent and never really lived up to expectations in Tennessee. If the Titans are hoping for Jake Locker to take the next step, they need to upgrade the supporting cast around him.

Are Titans using Kendall Wright effectively?

Rookie Notes, Titans
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The Tennessee Titans presumably drafted Kendall Wright in the 1st round with the hope that he would add a new dimension to their offense.

However Wright is slightly undersized and didn’t play in a complex offense at Baylor. His route running skills definitely need some work, but one area where he could help immediately would be to stretch the field. Wright is likely the fastest receiver on the Titans roster, and was a serious deep threat during his days in college.

But through two games, Wright has been targeted beyond 10 yards just twice (both incompletions).

Instead the Titans have used Wright on quick routes, hoping to allow him to make plays after the catch. All seven of Wright’s catches have been less than 10 yards down the field and two have come behind the line of scrimmage.

Wright is definitely dangerous with the ball in his hands but it’s hard not to wonder if the Titans are limiting him by preventing him from stretching the field.

Mike Martin inserted into starting role for Titans

Rookie Notes, Titans
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Tennessee Titans 3rd-round pick Mike Martin came off the bench on opening weekend and was fairly impressive in 35 snaps, recording one hit and two hurries according to Pro Football Focus. The Titans coaching staff must have been impressed, as Martin was inserted into a starting role for Week 2.

Martin replaced Karl Klug, who saw his playing time decrease considerably on Sunday against the Chargers. Martin responded by recording his first career sack.

Pro Football Focus tracks a statistic called Pressure Percentage, which is actually a weighted percentage based on number of sacks, hits and hurries. Among qualifying defensive tackles, Martin currently ranks second. In 35 pass rush snaps Martin has recorded seven pressures (1 sack, 2 hits, 4 hurries).

Taylor Thompson expected to make Titans roster

Rookie Notes, Titans
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Tennessee Titans 5th-round pick Taylor Thompson is expected to make the 53-man roster, according to Matt Rybaltowski of CBS Sports.

The Titans gambled on Thompson, a collegiate defensive end who was transitioning to tight end. While he flashed the size and athleticism of Rob Gronkowski, he had no game footage to back up his work on the practice field. But apparently he’s a quick learner and has impressed the Titans coaching staff.

Thompson will likely be the third tight end behind Jared Cook and Craig Stevens, but could be a significant part of their red zone package due to his size. He’s definitely a guy to look out for this season and someone who could come on strong late in the year once he’s had a few games under his belt.

Titans rookie takes a shot at Vanderbilt

Titans
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Tennessee Titans rookie Brandon Barden, an undrafted free agent out of Vanderbilt seemingly took a shot at his alma mater during the team’s recent rookie camp.

Barden was speaking to The Tennessean about fellow rookie Taylor Thompson, who originally committed to Vanderbilt but backed out and enrolled at SMU. While discussing Thompson’s change of heart, Barden had this to say:

“Yeah, he decided to de-commit from us. I don’t know what’s up with that … I can’t really blame him, to be honest.”

I’m sure many of us would think the same thing of a player de-committing from Vandy, but it’s an odd comment coming from a former Commodore.