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Free agency, the final wave

By Will Lomas

Aug 29, 2015; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; New York Jets defensive back Antonio Cromartie (31) runs to the end zone after intercepting a pass from New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning (10) during the first half at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Noah K. Murray-USA TODAY Sports
Aug 29, 2015; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; New York Jets defensive back Antonio Cromartie (31) runs to the end zone after intercepting a pass from New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning (10) during the first half at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Noah K. Murray-USA TODAY Sports /
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Free agency is anything but a science. Rarely do the big splash signing make an immediate impact, and even when they do they usually take a team from good to very good, and rarely move the needle on bad teams.

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However, the guys who come in and patch holes with the right fit often do make a difference. Some how Michael Oher made a difference on the Carolina Panthers offensive line even though the Tennessee Titans couldn’t get anything out of him and the Baltimore Ravens just didn’t want him any more. So even when a move looks terrible it can turn out to work in the right situation.

Well, with training camp opening soon and the Titans about to see just exactly what they have in full pads, now is a good time to familiarize yourself with some of the top names left in free agency. The New York Times has compiled a list of the best free agents left in this final wave of free agency.

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    • If all goes according to plan none of these guys should be on the roster, but if there is an issue these are the best remedies.

    ANQUAN BOLDIN, WR

    What they say: “The 35-year-old wide receiver showed last season that he still had plenty left, catching 69 passes for 789 yards and four touchdowns for a bad 49ers offense. Boldin has drawn some interest from teams in the last few weeks, so it would be a surprise if he is not in camp with someone needing a possession receiver. He has 1,009 career receptions and 74 touchdowns.”

    I would have no problem with Boldin coming in if the Titans see that Harry Douglas, Justin Hunter and Tre McBride all aren’t going to make the roster. Boldin is a perfect fit with this offense mentally, and someone like Marcus Mariota could use someone who is always in the right spot and who fights for the ball.

    This would be similar to the Rashad Johnson move the Tennessee Titans made earlier in the offseason.

    REGGIE BUSH RB/KR

    What they say:  “Once one of the league’s most dynamic running backs, Bush, 31, has played in only 16 games the last two seasons because of injuries. After signing a one-year deal with San Francisco last off-season, he tore a knee ligament during a game in November when he slipped on the concrete bordering the field at the St. Louis Rams’ Edward Jones Dome and hit a wall. Bush told SiriusXM NFL Radio last month that he was healthy and did not ‘feel like I lost a step.'”

    I think he could be a great fit for the Titans because he could give them exactly what they think they have in Dexter McCluster. Bush has always been an above average return man, and he could be a change of pace back that gets 5-8 carries a game and is a factor as a receiving back.

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    Antonio Cromartie CB

    What they say: “After a Pro Bowl year in Arizona, the athletic cornerback was reunited with Darrelle Revis in the Jets’ secondary last season and was mostly solid, but also showed some signs of slippage. Cromartie, who turned 32 in April, failed to get an interception for the first time since 2006, his rookie season in San Diego. The Jets cut Cromartie in February in a cost-cutting move, saving $8 million on the salary cap.”

    Cromartie makes sense to me if the Titans want to really play with some pressure. While he isn’t always reliable in coverage for extended periods of time, he has (with the exception of last year) 3 or more interceptions per year since 2009, and he had 10 in 2007. He is a playmaking CB who wants to jump routes and take passes away and his aging athleticism and ball hawking ability is only fit for a defense that really tries to attack the QB.

    All three of those players could benefit the Tennessee Titans if used correctly. Although they are all older, this is a great time to find value and role players in free agency and I have just told you how they could all be useful to this team.

    Hopefully, the team stays as is and only uses the waiver wire to add through free agency at this point. However, if they need a stopgap at WR, RB or CB these are the guys I hope they choose.

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