Free Agency Preview: Holiday Wishlist for the Titans
Free Agency Preview: Holiday Wishlist for the Titans
The holidays are upon us. Families will be congregating for a festive Thanksgiving full of turkey, relaxation, and, of course, football. Dinner tables will be set for heated discussions between loved ones. Why does Trump ignore climate change? What’s happening with marijuana legalization? Will the Thursday games be any good this year?
As a Titans fan, I struggle with being thankful. An ugly division loss to the Colts (yet again) still haunts my dreams. I wake up in cold sweats, screaming, “First Peyton, now Luck!” Sure, the team has shown plenty of promise, and they look massively improved over years past. And the Rams are doing their best to give Tennessee a top-five pick in the draft. But like so many retail stores this time of year, I am looking towards Christmas and the New Year.
Jon Robinson might focus more on the draft to further build his young team, but the Titans have plenty of cash to spend. Per Spotrac, Tennessee has the fifth-most cap space (~$57M). And after they cut ties with a few disappointing veterans (looking at you, Perrish Cox), that number will likely jump up.
Of course, keeping key talent in house is always a priority. Robinson has thirteen upcoming free agents to evaluate for his roster, yet Kendall Wright could be the only one retained. While the young receiver from Baylor might never live up to his draft billing, Wright has been a key cog in Mularkey’s offense.
The wide receiver and cornerback positions desperately need upgrades. The offensive line looks set for the future, but another interior lineman would not hurt. And while the front seven has had a solid year, the Titans require more quality depth. Time for some holiday shopping.
Wide Receiver
Robinson has quickly put together a solid receiving corps for his young quarterback. Rishard Matthews looks like the real deal, as he reeled in 9 receptions for 122 yards last week. He, Sharpe, and Wright make up a nice trio for Marcus Mariota. However, Tennessee lacks depth beyond those three. Harry Douglas is the only other experienced receiver on the roster, and he’s due a base salary of $3.75M in 2017.
Alshon Jeffery will undoubtedly be the hottest target in free agency. And while many Titans fans are salivating at the thought of Jeffery rocking two-tone blue, I don’t see that happening. The star from South Carolina will command an exorbitant paycheck (~$12M annually) and currently faces a 4-game PED suspension. So far, Robinson has shown a tendency to chase value players (Matthews, Ben Jones) rather than big names, and I don’t expect him to risk a huge contract on a troubled player.
A more reasonable option would be Pierre Garcon. The 30 year old veteran has plenty left in the tank (593 yards, second most on the Redskins), but Washington might not keep him. Jamison Crowder has enjoyed a breakout year, making both Garcon and DeSean Jackson (another upcoming free agent) expendable. Plus, the Redskins have to shell out a big contract to Kirk Cousins and have more glaring holes on their roster.
Robert Woods, Quinton Patton (a hometown dude!), and Terrelle Pryor are younger options, but the Titans already have plenty of youth on their offense. Garcon would fill the veteran void left by Andre Johnson’s retirement, while providing Mariota with another reliable target. It also wouldn’t hurt to get a receiver who played with Peyton Manning back in the day.
Cornerback
The secondary is a problem that needs solving. Particularly, cornerback has been the Achilles heel of Tennessee’s defense ever since Alterraun Verner left in free agency three years ago. With two first round picks and a ton of cap space, the Titans are better equipped to complete their defense.
A.J. Bouye has been the best corner for the Texans this year. And while they would love to retain his services, Houston already has the likes of Johnathan Joseph, Kareem Jackson, and Kevin Johnson in their secondary. Furthermore, they only have $12M in cap space and a dismal offense to fix. Stealing a surging defensive talent from a division rival would be sweet, but I have my sights set elsewhere.
The New England Patriots have a reputation for sparsely retaining free agents. They like to milk the best years out of a player and then send him packing. However, now their best cornerback might hit the open market: Logan Ryan. Malcolm Butler, their other starting corner, is a restricted free agent and beloved by New England. I anticipate them retaining Butler and letting Ryan walk. They face some key personnel decisions with Don’t’a Hightower, Martellus Bennett, Chris Long, Jabaal Sheard, LeGarrette Blount, and Alan Branch also potentially leaving.
Ryan might demand a high salary from Tennessee, as the market value for a starting cornerback sits around $9M annually. But he’s a sure tackler with a solid pedigree from a championship team. Cutting Perrish Cox (due $5M base salary in 2017) and possibly restructuring Jason McCourty’s contract would alleviate such a lofty deal. Signing Ryan gives Jon Robinson (who comes from New England himself) more flexibility on where he takes a corner in the draft, as well as a welcome addition to a depleted secondary.
Nose Tackle
I have been screaming for a quality nose tackle ever since Tennessee made the switch to a 3-4 defense. The Al Woods experiment has seemingly come to an end, leaving Angelo Blackson and Austin Johnson as the only other options on the roster. I like both players, but I’m not ready to hand either the starting gig. The Titans need a nasty run-stuffer to help out Jurrell Casey and DaQuan Jones in the trenches.
Dontari Poe fits the bill of a true nose tackle, one that can aggressively bully an opposing offensive line. He has proved himself invaluable to the Kansas City Chiefs, but they currently have a salary cap of $-8M. And to further their financial hell, stud safety Eric Berry will hit the market as well. If Kansas City fails to lock up Poe, Tennessee should pounce on the chance to fortify their defensive line.
It’s more likely that Robinson will look for a cheaper option, such as Philadelphia’s Bennie Logan, or wait until the draft to add competition to Blackson and Johnson.
Outside Linebacker
Tennessee’s linebackers are a nice group. The inside group of Williamson and Woodyard could use some help, but they are locked in as the starters. Brian Orakpo and Derrick Morgan are studs. Even though he’s struggled recently, I have faith in Kevin Dodd. But I would love to see another scary presence coming off the edge.
DeMarcus Ware will be a free agent for what could be his last NFL season. The future Hall-of-Famer has given the Denver Broncos some of his best years, but at 34 years old, they might be ready to move on from him. They gave Von Miller a huge contract last year, drafted Shane Ray in the first round of the 2015 draft, and should retain Shaq Barrett (restricted free agent in 2017). Robinson could give Ware a one-year, incentive-laden deal to mentor Dodd and Aaron Wallace, as well as spell Orakpo and Morgan.
Offensive Guard
The offensive line has received abundant praise throughout this season. The additions of Ben Jones, Josh Kline, Dennis Kelly, and Jack Conklin have helped Tennessee’s line jump from worst to first. However, the beating they took in Indianapolis last week was discouraging. Conklin, who was rock solid all year, gave up his first sack of the season, and the interior struggled against a so-so defense.
Ben Jones has helped anchor the center position, and the bookend combo of Conklin and Lewan have been stellar. However, questions exist at both guard positions. Even if Quinton Spain and Josh Kline remain the starters for 2017, the Titans should add someone to push the pair.
Their best option might still be with the team. Chance Warmack was placed on IR early in the season and will become a free agent in the spring. However, since he missed a crucial contract year to injury, the market might not be so kind to him. Despite an inconsistent career, Warmack is still an above-average starter who has provided glimpses of brilliance.
Another injured Titan, Byron Bell was placed on IR before the season began. If Warmack proves too expensive or risky, Robinson could retain Bell at a bargain. The ex-Carolina Panther would alleviate the loss of their former first round pick, and provide flexibility on the line (he has experience at guard and tackle).
Whether Robinson retains either Warmack or Bell (whichever is more affordable), he should still draft an interior lineman to further the progress of the unit.
Draft
The Tennessee Titans are closer to playoff contention than we all realize. Armed with two first round picks, Robinson can get his team over that proverbial hump through the draft. It’s nice to dream about landing the big names of free agency. But one cannot simply buy a franchise team (see: Jacksonville Jaguars). Jon Robinson can add a few more key players like Garcon, Ryan, Poe, Ware, and retain his top talent to cement Tennessee as a threat in the AFC South.
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