A few thoughts

[EC34]

I've been a fan of this team for 60+ years. Honestly, this is about as hopeless as I have been since the early 1970s.

A few positives:

 

1. It's a really respectable rookie class.  I don' t know if the 3 4th rounders will be great NFL players, but I think all 3 look to be good ones. 

2. I'm more positive on Ward now than I was when we drafted him. He has the right temperament to get better. He is unfazed. He remains confident. He has plenty of arm and he largely makes good downfield decisions.  He certainily hasn't had Jayden Daniels rookie season, but he looks to me to be a real NFL QB. 

3. The talent level on the team is laughable.  

4. McCoy is not the next HC.

 

Here's what I think is a rational core to build around for next season:

 

QB: (1) Ward

RB: (2) Spears, Mullings

TE: (2) Helm, Okonkwo (resign him and play him as a big slot which is where he belongs)

WR: (3) Ayomanor, Dike, Oliver

OL: (5) Lathom, Skoronski, Cushenberry, Slater, Moore (unless you can cut your losses on the cheap, that said, he has been good bad - as opposed to horrific bad

 

(13) core pieces with cheap plugs on the back end in Hance, Udoh and Levin  if team chooses to bring them back. 

 

DL: (2) Simmons, Sweat

Edge: (2) Femi, Harrell

ILB: (2) Gray, Williams

DB:  (1) Harris

S: (3) Hooker, Woods, Winston

 

(10) core pieces with a complete rebuild in the secondary, edge, and dline.   Bringing back Jones on a cheaper deal wouldn't be terrible (or good).  

 

Slye is too inconsistent. Hekker and Cox are fine.  (2)

 

I have 26 guys returning - going to have to be more. But that is the defining of rebuild year 1, not rebuild near completion.  

 

Thus, 1972 all over again.   Where is the new Bum Phillips and the new Earl Campbell?

 

 

Edited 17 hours ago by EC34

[scine09]

1 minute ago, EC34 said:

I've been a fan of this team for 60+ years. Honestly, this is about as hopeless as I have been since the early 1970s.

A few positives:

 

1. It's a really respectable rookie class.  I don' t know if the 3 4th rounders will be great NFL players, but I think all 3 look to be good ones. 

2. I'm more positive on Ward now than I was when we drafted him. He has the right temperament to get better. He is unfazed. He remains confident. He has plenty of arm and he largely makes good downfield decisions.  He certainily hasn't had Jayden Daniels rookie season, but he looks to me to be a real NFL QB. 

3. The talent level on the team is laughable.  

4. McCoy is not the next HC.

 

Here's what I think is a rational core to build around for next season:

 

QB: (1) Ward

RB: (2) Spears, Mullings

TE: (2) Helm, Okonkwo (resign him and play him as a big slot which is where he belongs)

WR: (3) Ayomanor, Dike, Oliver

OL: (5) Lathom, Skoronski, Cushenberry, Slater, Moore (unless you can cut your losses on the cheap, that said, he has been good bad - as opposed to horrific bad

 

(13) core pieces with cheap plugs on the back end in Hance, Udoh and Levin  if team chooses to bring them back. 

 

DL: (2) Simmons, Sweat

Edge: (2) Femi, Harrell

ILB: (2) Gray, Williams

DB:  (2) McReary, Harris (must resign Mcreary so they probably trade him this week)

S: (3) Hooker, Woods, WInston

 

(11) core pieces with a complete rebuild in the secondary, edge, and dline.   Bringing back Jones on a cheaper deal wouldn't be terrible (or good).  

 

Slye is too inconsistent. Hekker and Cox are fine.  (2)

 

I have 26 guys returning - going to have to be more. But that is the defining of rebuild year 1, not rebuild near completion.  

 

Thus, 1972 all over again.   Where is the new Bum Phillips and the new Earl Campbell?

 

 

You think this is worse than 1994 or 2014?  At least now the Titans seem to have a QB.  Back then they had neither, especially in 1994.

[rns90]

Just now, scine09 said:

You think this is worse than 1994 or 2014?  At least now the Titans seem to have a QB.  Back then they had neither, especially in 1994.

Splitting hairs but I think they had more overall talent in 94 , aside from the QB.

[scine09]

2 minutes ago, rns90 said:

Splitting hairs but I think they had more overall talent in 94 , aside from the QB.

Yeah possibly but the QB was key.  They lost a ton of close games that year.

[rns90]

Just now, scine09 said:

Yeah possibly but the QB was key.  They lost a ton of close games that year.

They had a lot of close games but the lack of any offense just killed them .

 

This team doesn’t have many starting level players .  The 94 team at least had a decent defense.

[Callidus]

Agree for the most part. The one ? I have is chig. 

 

He is such a unique use case player i would love to have an offense that knows how to use him but idk if that would be worth it. Im not sure he is a big slot, i keep saying he is a giant gadget guy because I cant think of anything better. 

 

On a team so devoid of talent kts hard to let go of any talent regardless of how mediocre or niche are. At the ssme time i think it may be better to purge all the bullshit and hope these lotto tickets and some fresh vets can make a difference. 

 

[Titandan]

1 hour ago, scine09 said:

You think this is worse than 1994 or 2014?  At least now the Titans seem to have a QB.  Back then they had neither, especially in 1994.

I think in 1994, we had Blaine Bishop and that was about it LOL.  We were probably ass back then as well. 

[abenjami]

1 hour ago, scine09 said:

You think this is worse than 1994 or 2014?  At least now the Titans seem to have a QB.  Back then they had neither, especially in 1994.

 

The Titans were lacking a lot more than a QB back in 1994.  They weren't even a team yet.

[ctm]

By my count, Titans need 7 day 1 starters next year. 

 

RG

RB (Pollard cut)

WR (Dike and Ayo the other 2, Ridley cut)

DL to replace Day (free agent)

OLB

2 CBs (assuming Harris is the 3rd guy)

 

That is the absolute minimum with no other position upgrades.  Depth needed everywhere.

[rns90]

13 hours ago, ctm said:

By my count, Titans need 7 day 1 starters next year. 

 

RG

RB (Pollard cut)

WR (Dike and Ayo the other 2, Ridley cut)

DL to replace Day (free agent)

OLB

2 CBs (assuming Harris is the 3rd guy)

 

That is the absolute minimum with no other position upgrades.  Depth needed everywhere.

I have 9.  Not sold on Ayomanor.  So that’s 2 WR.

 

OLB as in pass rusher ?  They need at least two.  

[ctm]

6 minutes ago, rns90 said:

I have 9.  Not sold on Ayomanor.  So that’s 2 WR.

 

OLB as in pass rusher ?  They need at least two.  

That's why I said at minimum.  I count femi as the other olb and Ayo the #2 or #3 WR for now.  I count replacing either as upgrades, not existing holes.

Edited 20 hours ago by ctm

[Callidus]

5 minutes ago, rns90 said:

I have 9.  Not sold on Ayomanor.  So that’s 2 WR.

 

OLB as in pass rusher ?  They need at least two.  

I think he is going off the assumption of what we have to work with not what we want. Ayo can start if need be, and hopefully he shows some improvement down the stretch. 

 

Femi will start next year so it would be 1 olb. We will definitely need atleast 2 to round out the group, but only 1 starter. 

[ctm]

5 minutes ago, Callidus said:

I think he is going off the assumption of what we have to work with not what we want. Ayo can start if need be, and hopefully he shows some improvement down the stretch. 

 

Femi will start next year so it would be 1 olb. We will definitely need atleast 2 to round out the group, but only 1 starter. 

Yes, trying to draw a distinction between starting spots/holes, vs. upgrades and depth.

[EC34]

Curious to see how many more holes they open this week. I have to believe Ridley and Pollard and maybe Chig all get dealt.

McReary certainly has value, but feels suicidal given what else they have left in the room.  I would think Woods and Diggs would

both be available.  And Levis is still alive.  Roll it all together and not certain how much it brings but the front office needs to be busy

this week trying to return a bit of value. 

[ctm]

It'll be surprising if they can get anything better than a 2026 6th for any of these guys.