One Fan's Plan

[Justafan]

Everyone else has posted their thoughts on how the Titans should proceed through the offseason and how they think the Titans can turn it around. Can Munchak and company take a team that won 6 games last year and turn it into a legitimate contender this year? Here are my thoughts.Disclaimer: This is an optimistic plan and I know many people here won't agree with most or maybe even all of what I have to say. This isn't necessarily what I think will happen this offseason but I do think this is the way the Titans make the most significant strides back towards a respectable playoff caliber football club. It's almost impossible for this scenario to actually play out for the simple reason that it would require owner Bud Adams to spend a lot of money up front this year and actually care more about winning than about the bottom line. It would also require the draft to fall perfectly in line so that the players I want would be available and that just never happens. A lot of the decisions have already been made such as coaching changes and things like that so i'll try to stick mostly to the roster and player acquisitions. I do think we will have a hard time competing against the elite teams with this staff regardless of the roster.

Greg Williams: I know a lot of people don't like him as an addition to the team but I like him for one reason. He inspires toughness in his defense. He likes to play aggressive and by the pants. This coaching staff desperately needed a guy like Williams to help with game planning and in game decisions. IMO this was a step in the right direction even if it left some people scratching their heads.

TENNESSEE FREE AGENTS

RB-Darious Reynaud, Javon Ringer, Quinn Johnson

TE-Jared Cook

OL- (RFA) Fernando Velasco, Deuce Lutui, Leroy Harris, Kyle Devan, (ERFA) Kevin Mathews

DL- Leger Douzable, SenDerrick Marks, Dave Ball, Keyunta Dawson, Jarius Wynn

LB- Zac Diles, Will Witherspoon, Gerald McRath, Xavier Adibi

DB- Ryan Mouton,

K-Rob Bironas

OFFSEASON ROSTER (A look at how the roster stands right now, excluding all free agents)

WR1: Washington, Wright, Hawkins, Mariani

TE: Thompson, Barden, Webb

LT: Roos, Otto

LG: Hutchinson

C: Amano

RG: Petrus

RT: Stewart, Stingily, Baldridge

FB: Stevens, Mooney

WR2: Britt, Williams, Borel, Preston

QB: Locker, Hasselbeck, Smith

RB: Johnson, Harper, Evans

LDE: Morgan, Solomon

LDT: Klug, Clayton

RDT: Casey, Martin, Harris

RDE: Wimbley, Gibson

OLB1: Ayers, Bailey, Malast

MLB: McCarthy, Shaw

OLB2: Brown

LCB: McCourty, Sensabaugh

*SS: Babineaux, Afalava, Martin

FS: Griffin, Johnson, Wilson, Tuimaunei

RCB: Verner, Campbell

K:

KO:

P: Kern

H: Kern

PR: Mariani, Williams

KR: Mariani, Hawkins

LS: Brinkley

RELEASES:

Javon Ringer, Quinn Johnson, Leroy Harris, Kyle Devan, Leger Douzable, Dave Ball Jarius Wynn, Zac Diles, Will WItherspoon, Xavier Adibi, Ryan Mouton, Darius Reynaud, Sen'Derrick Marks, Gerald McRath

CUT THE FAT: (Overpaid/ underproducing players that should be let go in order to clear cap space and bring in fresh faces)

LG Hutchinson (Retires) If he doesn't retire he should be cut. He was terrible most of the year and injured the rest of it.

QB Hasselbeck (Cut) Hasselbeck is done. He should retire but probably won't. In reality, the Titans will probably keep him and just restructure his deal but i'm hoping that they free up some cap space and get rid of him.

OC Amano (Cut) Some people will disagree with me but Amano has been far from spectacular in his time here. He hasn't been as terrible as some would have you believe but he's never been anything more than a below average starter. They could ask him to restructure his deal but why on earth would he? Instead cut ties with him and move on. It absolutely will not be difficult to replace Amano's production with the cap savings that cutting him will provide.

S Babineaux (Cut) Babs was terrible last year. He couldn't cover, he couldn't tackle and he gave up big plays. Good QB's picked on our safeties all year long. This helps free up some cap space to go and get a quality free agent safety or upgrade another area of the roster.

WR Hawkins (Cut) I'm still trying to figure out why they gave this guy a nice new contract and then he wasn't active most of the year. If he can't play then eat the bullet and get rid of him.

RB Chris Johnson- For the record. I personally think that CJ *SHOULD* have been added to this list. I just don't think this FO and coaching staff had the guts to do it with their jobs on the line. I think they gambled on CJ's talent even though it doesn't fit our offense and they are hoping that he resurges as a dominant RB. They could have cut ties, moved in a different direction and gotten right with the cap for the future but they just couldn't do it.

GUYS WORTH KEEPING:

OC Fernando Velasco- Played pretty well as a starter and was the only interior player who earned a new contract. He is a priority and should be the first player who is given an extended contract this offseason. He's a RFA so he'll be retained affordably.

DE Keyunta Dawson- Believe it or not, this guy was one of the more productive DEs on the roster last season in limited action. He'll be cheap and even though he may not make the final roster will provide competition during camp. If he does make the roster he will provide an above average (barely) depth and rotation player.

K Rob Bironas- Bironas had a down year but should rebound and is one of the best kickers in the league. He should be given another year or two at least before set to pasture. 35 isn't ancient for a Kicker. Phil Dawson led the league last year at 38.

TE Jared Cook- I think Cook is overrated and one dimensional. I don't like the fact that he took a step backwards during a contract year but a lot of that I think can be attributed to poor QB play. Having said all that, Cook has been the focal point of the offense the last couple of years and I think he is franchised and then rewarded with a long term deal.

C Kevin Mathews- He stays simply because he's cheap and has ties to the coaching staff. He probably should be replaced but I just don't think he will be.

FREE AGENT TARGETS:

A lot of these guys won't be available by the time free agency comes rolling along but the Titans have plenty of cash to spend this year and *SHOULD* be very active in free agency. Here are the guys I think the Titans are likely to take a hard look at.

QB Matt Moore, Chase Daniels, Brian Hoyer, Jason Campbell, Drew Stanton

RB Steven Jackson, Shonn Greene, Isaac Redman (RFA), Rashard Mendenhall, Peyton Hillis, (FB) Jerome Felton, Ahmad Bradshaw, Jalen Parmele, (FB) David Johnson

WR: Dwayne Bowe, Greg Jennings, Mike Wallace, Wes Welker

TE: Martellus Bennett, Dustin Keller, Anthony Fasano, Delanie Walker, Ben Hartsock, Kevin Boss

G: Andy Levitre, Louis Vasquez, Ramon Foster, Donald Thomas, Chad Rinehart, Kevin Boothe, Brandon Moore, Matt Slauson

DE: Michael Bennett, Michael Johnson, Israel Idonije, William Hayes, Wallace Gillberry

DT: Henry Melton, Roy Miller, Glenn Dorsey, Jason Jones, Roy Miller, Chris Canty

OLB: DeAndre Levy, Kaluka Malava

CB: Keenan Lewis, Aqib Talib, Sean Smith, DRC, Sheldon Brown, Tracy Porter

S: Jairus Byrd, Dashon Goldson, Ed Reed, Kenny Phillips, LaRon Landry, Patrick Chung

FREE AGENTS AQUIRED: (In a perfect world)

OG Donald Thomas- This is a guy who has been buried behind two premier starters but has played very well when asked to. He should be an easy upgrade to the interior of this line and won't cost an arm and a leg to sign either. This is the type of guy the Titans have targeted in the past and the type of guy they should look at again this year. There are too many quality guards available for the Titans to not walk away with one of them. Levitre is the best guy on the market but he will get a massive contract. Vasquez is another premier player available but will command a huge payday to lure him away from the Chargers. Thomas is more what I think the Titans will look for. A guy that will be a little cheaper but could still develop into a premier player. Guard is their biggest need in terms of starters needed and they have plenty of cap space. No reason not to get a good one. If the Titans can't sign Thomas a guy like Moore from the Jets would be a nice conciliation prize.

QB Matt Moore- Moore actually played pretty decent in limited action. He's probably not the guy you want starting but he's a talented backup and would offer enough competition to push Locker. He's also only 29 so he can be locked up to a lengthy contract that won't kill the budget and provide stability at the spot for the foreseeable future.

FB Jerome Felton- Quinn Johnson was terrible last year. With Palmer gone, I think the Titans will transition to more of a balanced offense. They desperately need guys who can make room for CJ. Going out and getting the best blocking FB in football who plowed through guys and is a big reason for AP's big year is a great start. FB is a cheap position and this guy could be a huge upgrade to Quinn Johnson. CJ had his best year when he had a FB and a great blocking TE paving the way for him. If they want teams to fear the run, they need a guy like Felton on the team.

DE Isreal Idonje- This is a guy who can be a rotational DE and bolster both the pass rush and the run game. He won't be incredibly expensive and I think he's a good fit in our defensive scheme. He's used to playing limited downs and I think he can be a great piece to add to our Dline. The Titans won't want another DE starter but they can probably justify a guy like Idonje who can contribute to both the run D and the pass rush. In today's NFL, you can never have enough quality pass rushers.

WR Mike Wallace- The Titans need to make a splash in free agency and this is it. Wallace can stretch a defense. He has legitimate game breaking speed and fits well with what the Titans want to do on offense. He can replace Britt immediately and can take advantage of Jake Lockers big arm. There are a lot of big name WR's available in free agency this year. They all have pros and cons and you can debate those all day long. Wallace is the guy I would spend my money on.

DRAFT:

Round 1: Star Lotulelei, DT, Utah- Not only is he the highest rated guy on the board he's a dominant player at a position that could potentially help the defense more than any other. If Lotulelei falls to the Titans it will be entertaining to see how fast they sprint to the podium to claim him.

Round 2: Matt Elam, S, Florida- This guy has good size and speed but more than that he has the instincts and the range to do anything you want. He hits as hard or harder than any safety in this draft and is an absolute steal in my mind in the second round. This is a guy who racked up tackles, sacks, and interceptions all last year. He literally is everywhere. He lays out massive hits and inspires fear on the offensive side of the ball. He's the safety we need and I think he will still be available early in the second.

Round 3: Barett Jones, C, Alabama- A lot of people have Jones going in the second round but there are a lot of quality players in the second round at more valuable positions so I think it's pretty reasonable that a guy like Jones falls to the Titans in the early third. This is a guy who I think has perennial pro bowler written all over him. He's an absolute steal in the third and will bring a very smart, very strong presence to the interior of the offensive line. Even if Jones goes in the second there are a couple of really high potential interior Olineman who will be available at this point in the third round. Fredrick out of Wisconsin, Quessenberry out of San Jose State, and Warford out of Kentucky are all guys I like that could realistically be available at this point and develop into quality starters.

Round 3 ©: Marcus Lattimore, RB, South Carolina- The Titans desperately need a RB to backup CJ. They have to get someone to take some of the load off him, and to push for playing time. Lattimore is a first round talent but there is a lot of risk with this pick. He may never be the same player he was before his big injury and a lot of people think he won't even play during the 2013 season. However, Lattimore has made remarkable progress so far and his doctor has stated that people will be amazed with how far he has come. He's actually starting to run next week. He's young so it's possible he makes a full recovery and could even be ready for the start of the season. I'll be incredibly happy if the Titans are able to snag him here at the end of the third round. If Lattimore is already gone then i'm taking a long hard look at Montee Ball out of Wisconsin here.

Round 4: Sio Moore, OLB, Conneticut- Moore is a little undersized but you can't argue with his production and he's played really well for UConn the last few years. He really helped his stock by playing well at the Shrine game and if he's still here in the fourth round the Titans should nab him. He's a guy who could provide depth at LB and even play some in nickel packages in order to allow Ayers to move up and play more end.

Round 5: Ryan Swope, WR, Texas A&M- After a disappointing showing at the Senior Bowl, Swope's stock has been dropping. I still think he's good value in the fifth though. He's got good size but he's not going to wow anyone with his speed. However, he's a physical receiver who can block and has good hands and has the potential to be a red zone threat once he gets coached up some.

Round 5 ©: Demontre Hurst, CB, Oklahoma- Hurst is another player that has gotten some attention after the shrine game. He's handled himself well against upper tier competition and would provide good depth at a critical position. If the Titans pass on Hurst, Tyrann Mathieu is a guy with day one ability who will likely fall to a day three selection due to character concerns. Obviously you have to do your homework on a guy like that but I think it would be worth the risk of a fifth round pick to get a guy like Mathieu.

Round 7: DC Jefferson, TE, Rutgers- Jefferson is an unpolished receiving TE but he's 6-6 and 260 lbs. He's extremely raw and he's a project player but at this point in the draft that's really kind of what you are looking for anyways.

Round 7 ©: Omoregie Uzzi, G, Georgia Tech- He's a mobile guard who should fit well in a zone blocking scheme. A late round selection who I think could be the interior swing man and eventually develop into a starter. Another piece for depth and a pet project for the Coaches to work with.

FINAL ROSTER:

WR1: Washington, Wright, Mariani

TE: Cook, Stevens, Thompson, Jefferson

LT: Roos, Otto

LG: Thomas

C: Jones, Mathews

RG: Velasco, Uzzi

RT: Stewart, Stingily

FB: Felton

WR2: Wallace, Britt, Williams, Swope

QB: Locker, Moore

RB: Johnson, Lattimore, Harper

LDE: Morgan, Idonje

LDT: Lotulelei, Klug, Clayton

RDT: Casey, Martin

RDE: Wimbley, Dawson

OLB1: Ayers, Bailey

MLB: McCarthy, Shaw

OLB2: Brown, Moore

LCB: McCourty, Verner

SS: Elam, Martin

FS: Griffin, Johnson

RCB: Sensabaugh, Campbell, Hurst

K: Bironas

KO: Bironas

P: Kern

H: Kern

KR: Mariani, Williams

PR: Mariani, Williams

LS: Brinkley

* Safety George Wilson was signed by the Titans after the writing of this article

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Edited February 24, 2013 by Justafan

[Alpha]

You could use this for the front page under some kind of "One Fan's Plan" title or something. It needs to be updated I think.

[WG53]

Jones is more likely a first rounder than a third.

[Justafan]

Jones is more likely a first rounder than a third.

I agree. I think it's much more likely that we end up with a guy like guard out of Wisconsin there but I was talking to some friends about this and conceded that it was possible that he dropped because of his position. It was an optimistic plan for sure. Still, I would be fine with a couple of guys there.

[Justafan]

Brandon Moore is also another guard i hope they look real hard at in free agency. He's a little older but he was really good last year.

[Jonboy]

Nice font.

[reo]

Brandon Moore is also another guard i hope they look real hard at in free agency. He's a little older but he was really good last year.

I wouldn't mind Moore but yeah the age is a factor but not as big of a factor due to him being a guard.

If go through FA though, I want a known commodity, not some backup that we're giving a chance to.

[JCBRAVE]

Free Agency has really changed the game so any team can go from bad to good in an offseason.

I'll stay optimistic and hope we add 2-3 vets and get lucky with our first few draft picks.

[ctm]

I like the Sio Moore pick or Kaluka Malava in free agency. I think either one would add a lot to the nickle defense at low cost.

[Cyrus]

Jones is more likely a first rounder than a third.

From interviews with GM/Scouts it was reported that no team had Barrett Jones rated higher than a 3rd rounder. For what it's worth.

[WG53]

From interviews with GM/Scouts it was reported that no team had Barrett Jones rated higher than a 3rd rounder. For what it's worth.

Smokescreens

[Cyrus]

Smokescreens

All of them? If true, why would any scouts at all disclose a guy as being first-round material or second round material?

[Guest]

From interviews with GM/Scouts it was reported that no team had Barrett Jones rated higher than a 3rd rounder. For what it's worth.

Isn't there an injury concern with Jones that may push him down?

[ctm]

He sustained a lisfranc injury to his foot during the 1st Q of the SEC championship game against Ga. He played on it during the remainder of that game and the national championship game against ND. He had surgery on it shortly after that game. He's scheduled to be out 3-4 months and will miss the combine.

[JLocker10]

Should be a good group of interior OL in that late round 1-2 mix (Cooper, Warford, Jones, Frederick, Schwenke, etc)

I can't imagine all these guys being gone by our round 2 pick

I'd ather have one of these guys at round 2 then Warmack at 10