Grading the Code

[code]

I post ridiculously long, self-aggrandizing posts. Then I pull them back up three months later. Usually to find out that I was a total dumb ass. Let's try it again. Because, well, that mirror in front of me sure is pretty.

 

Defense Team Needs 2018 (January, 2018)

 

 

Defensive Line (2 spots to fill)

 

Titans have 3 Defensive Ends and 4 Defensive Tackles returning under contract: Casey Warmsley and Maxey are the DEs; Williams, Klug, Johnson and Woods are the DTs.

Resigning DaQuan Jones seems to me to be amongst the team’s highest priorities this offseason. He was having a helluva year before injury. David King also saw plenty of time in the rotation, though certainly replaceable.  Klug is on what feels like his third 2-year extension. I suspect now his last.  

 

Titans have a pile of cash tied up in both Casey and Williams.  I would expect that Jones will get a deal along the line of Williams. Given the Titans stated desire to go multiple fronts a defensive end with true pass rush capabilities seems important to add.

 

I’m going to guess that we resign Jones and that we add a hybrid pass rush type of end – recognizing that instead we might have Dodd put his hand down and serve that role.

 

ANALYSIS: Team resigned Jones for 3 years. Resigned King. Cut Williams and Klug and added Bennie Logan. Added edge rusher, but at the LB position.

 

Linebacker (3 spots)

 

The cookie jar is filled for 2018, but 2019 is another story. Titans likely let Avery Williamson and Erik Walden sneak out this summer. But the real issues are with Orakpo and Morgan in 2019. Plenty of replacement options on the roster in Dodd, Wallace and Carraway – but so far, none of the three would appear an adequate replacement. Bottom line, 4 of top 7 in rotation may well be gone at the end of this season. FOUR, and Wesley Woodyard will be 33 going into 2019 season.

 

So while the need isn’t immediate, it is glaring.   What makes it all a bit tricky is the investment in LBs as pure ST players – Bates, Palmer, even Wallace.  Titans were willing to commit to 10LB spots on roster last season. Replacing Walden and Williamson means two immediate holes to fill.  Finding longer term replacements at both OLB spots is another matter all together.

 

I’m betting we see 3 new faces added to the position group this offseason, possibly 4 if Titans are convinced that Dodd was a mistake and that Palmer is expendable.

 

ANALYSIS: Team let Williamson and Walden walk, tabbed Rashaan Evans, Harold Landry and Will Compton.

 

Defensive Back (1 spot to fill)

 

Logan Ryan and Adoree Jackson return as starters. LeShaun Sims and Tye Smith come back as 3rdand 4thDB options. Plus Reed and Boykins both have flashed enough to have roster spots. Only Brice McCain is unlikely to return.  

 

Not saying that its impossible to upgrade depth at the position. But I wouldn’t rank this area near the top of our priority list.

 

ANALYSIS: Team added Malcolm Butler (I didn't see that one coming). Let McCain walk.

 

Safety (1 spot to fill)

 

Another really interesting position. Kevin Byard is possibly the best Safety Titans have put on the field since Kenny Houston (some of you probably only remember him as a Redskin). Cyprien takes a lot of heat here, but he is exactly what they signed him to be … a very tough run defender and a capable enough defended in the first 10 yards from LOS.  Trawick was exceptional on special teams, and Denzel Johnson looked like an NFL player in preseason.

 

Searcy is in the final year of his deal. It was a big deal. He could certainly be let go this offseason.

 

Which suggests one single spot open – either for Johnson to take, or for a draft pick (can’t see spending free agent money when Titans will have to pay Byard a real salary in 2020 and Cyprien will still have his big number on the books at that time unless he gets released for cap purposes after 2019 season.

 

ANALYSIS:  Team let Searcy go. 

 

Prioritized

 

#1. Inside Linebacker to replace Avery Williamson. (Rashaan Evans in the 1st)

#2. Resigning DaQuan Jones. If we fail to do that, DE becomes second priority in offseason. (Resigned)

#3. Outside Linebacker. Rotation depth in 2018, replacement starter in 2019 for either Morgan or Orakpo. (Harold Landry in 2nd)

#4. Outside DB Depth. (Malcolm Butler in Free Agency)

#5. Strong Safety Depth.

#6. Outside Linebacker Depth (replacing Erik Walden)

#7. Rush end depth.

 

Titans Needs Prioritized - Offense

 

Quarterback: (1 spot to fill)

Titans have 4 QBs under contract for 2018, only Tyler Ferguson for 2019. Expectation of course is that Marcus earns a 5-year $150 million extension this season. Cassel, Tanney and Ferguson round out the room. IMHO, we do not have an adequate back-up on roster. Titans will certainly address this offseason. Given MM new contract needs, I suspect that we sign a veteran for a 2-year deal for as much as $6M, possibly frontloaded to benefit from one last low cost year for the starter. 

 

ANALYSIS: Team let Cassel go and replaced him with Blaine Gabbert.

 

Running Back: (2 spots to fill)

Murray, Henry, Fluellen and Muhammad under contract. Don’t believe Muhammad is good enough to be the coveted speed back. Don’t see Titans bringing back Murray at $6.5 for the next two seasons. So the position probably has two roster spots to fill.

 

ANALYSIS: Team let Murray go and replaced him with Dion Lewis.

 

Tight End: (1 spot to fill)

Position group is deceptive. We return Delanie, Supernaw, Smith, Stocker and Semish. But Walker, Supernaw and Stocker are all unrestricted in 2019, a year where the big money will go to Marcus and to Taylor Lewan. Smith was drafted to replace Walker. He flashes speed but not a lot of consistency. Stocker and Supernaw are essentially Craig Stevens (though not as good).

I can imagine one new guy being brought in to compete here, particularly in the blocking role.

Hopefully Smith makes Delanie expendable, but right now, were I the Titans, I would be negotiating a few year extension for Mr. Walker.

 

ANALYSIS: Team reupped Stocker for a season.

 

Wide Receiver: (2 spots to fill)

Corey Davis and Taywan Taylor are under club control through 2020. Rishard Matthews and Tajae Sharp are in their final year of club control. Decker and Weems are both free agents.

This pretty much screams for a veteran free agent acquisition. Can’t tell if team likes Matthews enough to extend him. I do like him as the possession guy … but for whatever reasons, didn’t get much favor in the passing game last year.  Sharp has a blank slate, but Robinson can’t not be a fan at this point. I see the Titans looking to upgrade two roster spots here, one with a speed guy, the other in the possession mode that Decker was to have filled.

 

ANALYSIS: Team let Decker and Weems walk. Signed Michael Campanaro. 

 

Tackle: (1 spot to fill)

Extending Lewan becomes the priority after this season, since he is in final year of contract. Team is solid behind with Conklin, Kelly, Levin and Marz all in-house through 2019. BUT, I thought Kelly got exposed when he had to play consistently. I can see one more Tackle being added to upgrade Kelly.

 

ANALYSIS: Team has made no changes at T. 

 

C/Guard: (1 spot to fill)

Titans only have Ben Jones under contract past 2018, though Quentin Spain is restricted free agent and Cody Wichmann was on practice squad. Both Schwenke and Kline are unrestricted. Neither guy should be offered a big money deal by any other team.  Given how much teams value continuity up front, I can imagine Titans resigning both guys to low cost short term deals.  For predictive purposes, I guess we get one of the two which means vet free agent or later round draft choice.

 

ANALYSIS: Team resigned Spain to one year deal. Resigned Kline to a four year deal. Added Pamphile and Su'a Filo to one year deal.

 

Prediction: 8 new faces on the offensive side of the ball in 2018. Prioritized:

#1. Wide Out (speed)  --> Wrong, other than a minor signing in Campanaro

#2 Running Back (speed) -> Dion Lewis signing replaced Murray.

#3. Guard -> Kline and Spain returned, lots of back up parts added.

#4. Back up QB -> Gabbert replaced Cassel.

#5. Wide out (possession)

#6. In-line TE

#7. Running Back (possibly a fullback)

#8. Back-up Tackle

 

BOTTOM LINE:  This GM thing really isn't all that difficult.  Here's the key. Look at the contracts on the books. Look at the talent on the field. Then make a prediction. And for God's sakes. Don't do a mock draft. That shit is impossible.

[efus50]

What I like about j rob is he keeps it simple and crushes filling needs

[code]

Absolutely. See the whole. Fix the problem.

[freakingeek]

5 hours ago, efus50 said:

What I like about j rob is he keeps it simple and crushes filling needs

There's no time like the present. You have to build a roster both through the draft AND FA and that's exactly what JRob has done and done well without putting us in cap hell. He's been THE BOSS in free agency.

[Tormentedrose]

He never seems to be settled either.  I feel like he is  working at all times of the year and filling need, constantly trying to improve the talent on the team.  We finally have what looks to be a really solid roster in the sense that, barring an unlucky year health wise, we don't appear to have any hole so great that we cannot compete with any team at anytime.  Up until just now, we have been fielding teams that have big weakness's and good teams were always going to exploit us in the post season.  Jrob is, and will be in the future, gviing us as fan's a reason to think that we can get a ring.  It may not be this year or next but i feel like sometime we will get one. I love it.

[SleepingTitan]

We easily have top 5 GM in the league. #nohomer

[efus50]

He does not waste a penny

 

[FRT]

Don’t know about top 5 but at least we have a country boy.  After all, thats what you call us Union City, Obion Co boys.