Tennessee Titans: Making a case for Evan Mathis
By Les Bailey
With eleven days left before the Tennessee Titans will start their 2015 training camp, there are still free agents out there to be had, and with over $25 Million in cap space should be taking a hard look at former Philadelphia Eagles offensive lineman Evan Mathis.
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The 33 year-old annual Pro Bowl guard hasn’t been in any hurry to find a new home, and although he and his agent, Drew Rosenhaus continue to tell all suitors that the veteran is looking for the right fit, you have to think salary is a big concern.
Mathis signed a five-year deal in 2012 which was worth $25.5 million which included a $5 million signing bonus. He was set to make $5.5 million this year with $1 million being part of the signing bonus. He didn’t seem to fit with Chip Kelly’s plan and budget, and subsequently became expendable.
During a Wednesday appearance on CBS Sports Radio, Mathis said there was “no rush at all” to sign with a team and that he expects pursuit of him to “ramp up” in the coming days.
We’re not sure at this point, whether Mathis is looking for a place where he can have a chance for a ring, or looking for a payday. Obviously, the Titans are a few years away from getting to a Super Bowl, but if management would get up off their wallet, there is room for Evan Mathis in Nashville.
The Around The NFL staff at NFL.com published an article on June 11th where they feature four possible places for Mathis to land, and none of those were in Nashville.
- New York Giants
- Denver Broncos
- Seattle Seahawks
- Oakland Raiders
The strength of Mathis’ game is zone blocking, and although he is not a big mauler, he will fit better with teams who want to run the ball. The best place for him to land if he wants a ring, is Seattle or Denver, but can they afford the price of admission?
I can understand if he heads to Seattle of Denver, but my thinking is, if he would play for the Giants or Raiders, why not the Titans?
He would certainly add some beef up front in Music City, and we know that if the Titans are to be successful in 2015, they will need to run the ball.
The two things the Tennessee Titans didn’t do well last year was run the football and stop the run on defense.
That needs to change this year!
With Bishop Sankey getting a full offseason, drafting David Cobb and Marcus Mariota’s speed, all we need is some experience on the O-Line.
There are still questions with getting Marcus Mariota in camp on time, and if we are to depend on Zach Mettenberger for some early games, help up front is crucial.
ProFootballFocus ranks Evan Mathis as the top free agent guard who is still available.
We’re not sure at this point if the Tennessee Titans are having any dialogue with Evan Mathis, and there are questions if he would pick up the phone, but general manager Ruston Webster needs to at least make the call!