Top 5 Most Valuable Tennessee Titans – Off-Season Edition

This is by no means a list of my favorite players on the team, nor is it a list of who I would consider the best players on the team. This is a list of the most valuable players, as they relate to our success and failure as a whole. Tennessee has never been a team to feature numerous superstars on the same team (though that certainly could change in the coming years), but as the fans know, there is some considerable talent that establishes and breeds success within the franchise.

5. Kenny Britt, WR

Despite what I said in the opening, I must admit that Kenny Britt is, in fact, one of my favorite Titans. He’s got great size and hands, a tireless work ethic, and a great attitude to boot. Without hesitation, I would say that Britt has the ability to become a top-ten receiver, and arguably top-five at that. However, Britt went down in Week 3, and while the offense was never as explosive as it was with Kenny on the field, the fact is that Hasselbeck and Co. were able to get it done. 3,500 passing yards is no slouch of a season, and KB was responsible for only 289 of them. That being said, I can’t wait to see him on the field next year.

4. Chris Johnson, RB

It stings a little to put arguably our highest profile player this low, but once again, we find ourselves in a similar situation as we did with Britt. When healthy and at his peak, CJ has the potential to be the single best back in the league. Everyone knows of his being just the 6’th player to rush for 2,000 yards in a season, and that was just a few short years ago. The shelf life for running backs is indeed slim, as we all know, but to write off CJ this soon would be a mistake. Once again, though, the team did find a way to compensate for his short comings last season, thus diminishing his value.

3. Colin McCarthy, MLB

Of all the rookies that made an immediate impact last season, Colin McCarthy’s was the strongest. Barrett Ruud (remember him?) came in on a one year deal and was entirely ineffective, and for roughly the first half of the season, the LB corp was without an identity. Then Colin McCarthy stepped up. Almost instantly, the unit gelled, Akeem Ayers started playing to his ability, and Will Witherspoon found himself being a solid complement. Zach Brown may soon work his way into the weakside, bringing an incredible amount of athleticism to the squad, but his and Ayers success is, to a large degree, determined by McCarthy’s. It all starts with him.

2. Jason McCourty, CB

While there are those that worry about our ability to remain competitive in the passing game on defense, often citing the loss of Finnegan as the main source of worry, I believe that Jason McCourty is in line to make a huge stride this season. Much attention is given to his twin brother, who plays in the much larger market New England, while his accomplishments tend to go overlooked. However, McCourty is now the veteran of that corp, and you can see the rest of the DB’s looking to him to take the reigns. McCourty’s athletic ability is there, and much like the rest of our guys, he is a dedicated player that is going to work hard towards our team’s success.

1. Michael Roos, LT

Michael Roos isn’t the sexy pick here. Most people outside of the most dedicated football fans would never know the guy played professional football, let alone did so at such an elite level. But elite is what he is. He doesn’t have a flashy personality. He isn’t prone to hyperbole. He’s never going to guarantee a victory publicly against anyone. Ever. What he will do is show up year after year, and consistently man the trenches. While David Stewart may be close in terms of talent, it is Michael Roos that sets the bar that the rest of the line is expected to rise to. For all of the hoopla that has been made about Hutchinson bringing his talents to LP (and I count myself among those excited), you can rest assured that it wouldn’t mean anything if Michael Roos wasn’t lined up alongside of him. Michael Roos has started every single game since being drafted in 2005, and has blocked for everyone from McNair to Young to Hasselbeck, and will continue to do so for Locker. That is why Michael Roos is the single most valuable Tennessee Titan.

What do you think? Agree? Disagree? Can’t believe I left someone out? Let us hear your thoughts!

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