At this year's Senior Bowl, new Tennessee Titans general manager Mike Borgonzi wasn't afraid to let everyone know what the team was going to prioritize once free agency started in early March.
Borgonzi pointed out that the first order of business was fixing the ongoing issues with the offensive line. With Dillon Radunz and Daniel Brunskill set to hit free agency, there is no in-house option at right guard next season. The only thing worse than having no one to fill a position is having someone bad to fill the position, which is exactly the situation the Titans find themselves at right tackle with Nicholas Petit-Frere. The right side needs major attention.
Based on what Borgonzi said at the Senior Bowl, it seems like he agrees that right guard and right tackle need to be fixed ASAP.
"We have some holes to fill on the offensive line, that will be No.1....
and then just depth level across the whole team right now. Creating competition is going to be the biggest thing, whether it's through free agency, through the draft. There might be a guy that we sign off the street, a workout guy, but we want to build the fronts first, offensive and defensive line, and then build depth along the perimeter."
All signs indicate that the Titans are not going to be aggressive in free agency this year when it comes to signing big names, but if there is a perfect fit at a position of need, they possess the financial flexibility required to make an aggressive offer. For Tennessee's other roster needs, they will either depend on the draft, or they will find effective stopgap players with good leadership qualities.
Unfortunately, the Kansas City Chiefs recently made the decision to apply the franchise tag on Trey Smith. Smith would have been a natural fit in Tennessee. He's an in-state local and played college football for the Tennessee Volunteers. Obviously Borgonzi is familiar with him. The Titans will now have to pivot to other targets.
Will Fries or Teven Jenkins could qualify as alternative options now that Smith is off the market. Fries plays for the Indianapolis Colts, so there will be familiarity within the AFC South. Jenkins will see his rookie contract expire with the Chicago Bears, so he's a young enough asset to fit Borgonzi's rebuilding timeline.
If the Titans could get Fries or Jenkins on board, at that point, the Titans would theoretically be one offensive lineman away (right tackle) from fielding a much improved offensive line.
That is where pending free agent Morgan Moses could be an asset. While not an elite player, Moses has been rock solid at right tackle for years, and it seems like the New York Jets are going to have to let him walk this offseason.
At 34, Moses isn't going to be the team's answer at right tackle for long, but it should be long enough for Bill Callahan to find or develop a long-term answer at the position in the draft.
One of the biggest arguments against drafting a quarterback this year is that none of these signal callers are elite, and all of them need a great supporting cast to make it in the NFL. If the Titans can sign a starting-caliber guard and Moses, developing a quarterback becomes a much more realistic goal. At the very least, it would allow the Titans to truly explore every option in the 2025 NFL Draft.