Titans Casting A Broad Net In Free Agency
By Josh Gunnels
Apr 27, 2012; Nashville, TN, USA; Tennessee Titans general manager Ruston Webster talks with the media about first round draft pick and twentieth 2012 NFL draft pick Kendall Wright (not pictured) during a press conference in the Titans Training facility at Baptist Sports Park. Mandatory Credit: Jim Brown-USA TODAY Sports
The Titans Are Looking At A Number Of Players This Off Season
I was expecting to wake up this Saturday morning to news galore and rumors flying over what teams had agreed in principal with certain free agents, or at least to hear who was in talks with each other. We all know the league office’s memo the night before the “legal tampering” period threw a wet blanket on that. Even so, by this Sunday, we have heard about the players the Titans have been in contact with, or at least are interested in pursuing.
It seems that the Titans are casting a broad net as opposed to just going after 1 or 2 guys hard, and then falling to plan B if that doesn’t work. Here are the Free Agents so far:
- Andy Levitre -G
- Ricky Jean Francois – DT
- Dustin Keller – TE
- Martellus Bennett – TE
- Michael Bennett – DE
- Osi Umenyiora – DE
- John Abraham – DE
- Dwight Freeney – DE
Throw in the mix that according to Dan Ariks over at MCM, the Titans are considering trading a low round pick for the return of Le Garette Blount. (That’s a separate post all in itself!)
I like the names of the TE’s that they are talking to. Martellus Bennett could be a home run hitter, but will probably command Cook like money. Keller would be a great, dependable TE for Locker at a more reasonable price tag.
My worry here is that Levitre is also being courted by the Chargers pretty hard, as well as a couple other teams, and I’m not sure what the Titans back up plan is. Many of us have said Vasquez, but nothing out of the Titans camp has suggested he’s on the list.
I applaud Webster and Munchak for being so aggressive. The team has serious holes and they know it. But a list this long, this early, is both a good and bad thing.
As much as I want to hear these names surface, part of me holds reservations as to who the Titans will actually be able to land. It’s a tight rope the team has to walk while talking to this many free agents. The Titans need help at multiple positions, but can’t be worried about holding back enough money to sign “the other guy” they are talking to. They need to target their main guys and go after them hard.
Remember how many centers came to visit last year?
Will Munchak and the gang be able to land the key players the Titans need? Will they overpay for a name without substance? Maybe settle for the “round two” players like usual?
Hopefully they act decisively in these negotiations. If a player wants to string them along for too long, as they talk to other teams, the Titans need to simply cut bait and move along. A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush, and the Titans certainly can’t come away empty handed this time around.
You can find me on Twitter @gunnelsj