Tennessee Titans: Trying to Forget That Ugly Ending

Because the NFL season never ends, we present our 2009 Offseason Roadmaps for front offices to navigate through the summer.

The Titans' 2008 season ranks as one of the greatest in team history. After a couple of years of either just making or just missing the playoffs, the Titans took a big step forward, finishing the season with the NFL's best record (13-3). Rookie running back Chris Johnson emerged as a big-play threat and Kerry Collins not only took over the starting quarterback job from Vince Young but proved that he has some life left in his arm.
But all of that was flushed away in a disappointing playoff loss to the Ravens. Tennessee actually outplayed Baltimore in most areas, but costly mistakes and the team's inability to run the ball after Johnson got hurt meant that a couple of big plays were enough to send Tennessee to an earlier than expected exit.

Tennessee has plenty of cap room, but with Albert Haynesworth and Collins headed to free agency, the Titans have some work to do. Tennessee franchised tight end Bo Scaife and re-upped kicker Rob Bironas last week to lock up two more potential key free agents.

Free Agents: Restricted: LB Charles Bennett, CB Chris Carr, QB Kerry Collins, S Vincent Fuller, DT Albert Haynesworth, P Craig Hentrich, CB Reynaldo Hill, WR Brandon Jones, CB Eric King, OL Daniel Loper, WR Justin McCareins, CB Tyrone Poole, QB Chris Simms.

Draft Picks: 1 (30); 2 (30); 3 (30); 4 (30); 5 (30); 6 (30), 7 (30)

Needs

1. Quarterback. It's likely that the Titans will figure out a way to bring Collins back, but if someone else can induce Collins to leave in free agency, Tennessee is in trouble. Owner Bud Adams keeps talking about how Young is still the team's quarterback of the future, but it's hard to see how he can retake that role without some serious maturation--teammates won't forget how he tried to quit on the team last season.

2. Wide Receiver. Justin Gage has proven himself as a legitimate starting wide receiver. But he doesn't have any company. Justin McCareins was arguably the worst starting receiver in the league last year, while Brandon Jones has run out of time to prove he can turn his physical skills into game production. Ideally, Tennessee will add one veteran and one young receiver to give Collins, Young or whoever is the Titans quarterback some targets who can get open and catch the ball--something Tennessee didn't have in 2008.

3. Defensive line depth? The Titans had one of the best defensive lines in the league last year. If Haynesworth leaves for a gigantic contract in free agency, it's not possible to simply plug in a replacement and expect to not take a hit. But Jason Jones, a 2008 draftee, showed that he is ready to step in and start if needed. What Tennessee will need if Haynesworth leaves is some depth to allow the Titans to continue to rotate front fours like they did last year. But if Haynesworth does come back, Tennessee's line should be even better in 2009 than it was in 2008.

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

2-23-2009 @ 9:19PM

CJ said...

Well, my opinion of what the very first thing that needs to be addressed is wide receiver, and i dont know how much longer they can keep ignoring that problem. The only guy worth moving up to get is Michael Crabtree who is the best guy in the draft this year. If not him, then they need to go after TJ Houshmanzath from the Bengals. I wouldnt want Chad Johnson or Terrell Owens as we dont need anymore destractions and obviously Marvin Harrison is not what he use to be a couple years ago. Ive heard there is a chance the Titans could get Drew Bennett back, but he hasnt shown what he was when he was with them a couple years ago, but then again, Jevon Kearse came back last year and looked pretty damn good out on the field last year. I say throw Vince Young out there again this year, and if he dont cut it, then trade up next year and either get Colt McCoy or Sam Bradford, but i figure since Bud Adams is a Texas guy, he'd probably go for McCoy.

2-24-2009 @ 11:13AM

tevetorbes said...

Drew Bennett? Really?

We already have a never-ending crop of mediocre 2nd and 3rd string receivers. We need a vertical threat to open up the running game, not another Justin Gage/Justin McCareins/Drew Bennet/Any Other Random No-name Receiver.

Don't get me wrong: I think Gage is great. But don't think for a second that he'd be the number 1 guy on any other competitive team.

Titans will not draft a receiver in the first round: they didn't do it last year, even with all of the hoo-hah that that idiot Mel Kiper spouted and they won't do it this year. Look, it's not Jeff Fisher's style, period. He has a meticulous group of scouts and assistants that look at many things before making a decision. To suggest that the Titans should trade up to draft Crabtree demonstrates a lack of understanding of the Titans' play style.

Vince Young is the future QB for the Titans. Whether he plays this year or not is immaterial: Fisher has said, time and time again, that he will be the QB in the future. End of story. Apparently, nobody is listening. We won't be drafting Colt McCoy or Sam Bradford or Joe Quarterback in 2010 with VY on the roster.

While I'm at it, let's not forget about Lavelle Hawkins. I bet he sees a little more play this year after the coaching staff realizes what an absolute BUST Brandon Jones is/was/forever-will-be. I, like you, think TJ would be an enormous pickup. But I think that Drew Bennett, if what you say is true, would be an enormous mistake.

Can we please send McCareins packing? I voted for letting him ride the plane back to New York with the rest of the Jets this past year: apparently nobody cared.

Last thought: see ya Haynesworth, have fun in Washington (looks likely he'll be going there.) I just hope the Redskins realize that he'll take 3 weeks to realize how poorly that organization is run before he starts phoning it in for the huge payday that he'll likely receive. JASON JONES 4 LIFE!

2-24-2009 @ 12:11PM

Hey, jackass, dont tell me what they'll do and what they wont do. Im saying as a fan of the Titans, they NEED to address the issue of wide reciever, it's getting to be an old story. And i understand that VY is the future of the team, and ive tried to be a supporter of his, but most fans dont feel like he's got it cut out for the position and i hope their wrong, but with Bud Adams being a Texas guy, i think it is possible that he could jump on getting Colt McCoy in 2010 as it was Bud, not Jeff Fisher, who was the main reason they drafted Vince Young, as i can assure you from what i heard Jeff Fisher did NOT want Vince, but obviously Fisher's point of view was thrown out, which in my opinion needs to be done more often. Fisher is too much of a defense guy, and the offense is what desperately needs to be addressed. I am NOT a fan of Fishers and should've been gone long ago. He's very very overrated and i lost alot of respect for him for not putting his foot down harder and sooner on Pacman's behavior. I know how Fisher works and im sure that stupidass will probably draft someone first round for the defense, which only needs slight modification, but definitely not by much. Im not concerned if Haynesworth leave cause after watching that Steelers game he missed, we still stomped a mudhole thru them but dont tell me what they are going to do, i know what they do, im just saying, as most fans are, what needs to be addressed ASAP.

2-24-2009 @ 5:34PM

Don't go on the defensive guy (pardon the pun). I ascertained that you are like many of the Titans fans that I see every week from my seat: all but clueless about football in general. The very fact that you even invoke Drew Bennett's name as a possible solution to the perceived problem of depth at the receiver spot speaks volumes to your lack of insight about Titans football. Yeah, right, from "what you've heard" Jeff Fisher didn't want VY. And from what everybody else has heard, Drew Bennett is just absolutely awful.

I'm sorry that you are not a fan of Fisher's. I could almost get on board with you when you say that he should've put his foot down with Pacman, and maybe he IS overrated (look at his post-season record and then look at Schottenheimer's, and then look at what happened to the latter.) But that's about where we stop agreeing I think.

As far as the slight modification need to the defense, well that remains to be seen. If Haynesworth heads for greener pastures, do you really think that the defense needs only a slight modification? Nick Harper isn't getting any younger, either. I, like you apparently, am not too concerned with Haynesworth's absence. If you want to talk about an overrated guy, look no further. His best seasons come in contract years, and the buzz is that there aren't that many teams willing to stick a pile of guaranteed dough in front of him like he wants, save maybe the Redskins.

The fact is at 30th in the draft, with a core group of players that will remain together, the Titans are in a unique situation in that they can take the best available player in the draft, (nearly) regardless of position. Don't be surprised when the Titans don't take a receiver as they can clearly win games with (at best) #2 or #3 guys like Gage.

2-25-2009 @ 1:51PM

tnsatt1 said...

Wakeup people..Fisher is the best coach in the league period..for the players he receives! Bud Adams still controls this team and is NOT going to spend a lot of money or Free Agents or anyone else..He never has never will.Fisher wanted to draft Jay Cutler ,but no Adams stepped in and took Young.We wont trade up never have, never will.Adams is content on just having a team,not letting Fisher spend the money to get the players He really wants.They wont spend the money on Haynesworth..tp much on the cap...a big time wide receiver?? not going to happen..Can Vy qb this team?? Hell no He cant pass, and everyone in the league knows it..get him to 3rd down and 7..rush 2, drop everyone.interception..We are what We are.Bud Adams team..so stop dreaming till Bud backs away and really gives Fisher the reigns.