Titans sign whatshisname Moore

Titans sign whatshisname Moore

This group of articles is a bit late, but there have been several requests to write them anyway. Each will provide some background about undrafted free agents the Tennessee Titans signed. Some undrafted free agents are well-known while others seem to “come out of nowhere.” Over the years, “Whatshisname” became a moniker for all UDFAs.

Steven Moore is a right tackle from the University of California. He started four years at Cal, so he brings loads of experience to the Titans.

Moore was rated to be a seventh-round pick by a few sites, so it’s of some value that the Titans signed him as an undrafted free agent rather than having to select him in the NFL draft.

I’m not sure on this one. Taylor Lewan and Jack Conklin certainly have me completely spoiled as far as tackle play. Moore has some wheels to him.

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Moore has some wheels to him and is quite active. He does a very nice job in pass protection. In the run game, more often than not, he is just turning his shoulders and creating a lane like Mike Shanahan’s line used to do. I watched a few games and it didn’t really change game to game. I prefer a more aggressive run blocker that goes after the defensive end.

I went to a few draft sites to read what they thought of him. At those sites, there were words like decent and capable. That’s not the description I’m hoping for. Several sites listed him as a potential guard in the NFL. I was “dead wrong” on Quinton Spain converting from tackle to guard, so I had to rewatch some of Moore’s videos. He really lacks the aggression and leverage and….I just don’t see this one panning out.

All of this reminded me of a wonderful story I read long ago about Matt Millen. The outstanding linebacker loved to hit and shed blockers. He liked to the contact and looked forward to it. As he matured, he realized that some players aren’t trying to go head to head with him; some players are just trying to get in his way.

I googled some and was able to find this story on the NY Times website here.

Included in that article is a wonderful couple of quotes:

“He has learned that it can be wise and necessary to smile and avoid the direct approach. A questioner asked: ”Russ Grimm said he would run over his mother to win this game. What would you do to win?””

“Millen considered the possibilities, then said, ”I’d run over his mother, too.””

I was floored that that old story and article happens to include the Titans offensive line coach, Grimm.

I don’t want to say the Titans have five offensive linemen that would run over their mother…God forbid, but there’s a mindset there. What type of a person that would even mutter such a phrase? A brutish aggressive future hall of fame lineman would.

In the same light that Millen matured, has Grimm? Does he recognize the value in a lineman getting in the way and not necessarily being aggressive? Or does he want aggressors?

I’m not so sure on Steven Moore. I wish him the best of luck and again, I was wrong on Quinton Spain.

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