Step 1: Identifying needs
This is one that has been on a lot of Tennessee Titans fans minds since the very first game. Part of being a fan is being furious when your team loses a single snap and players/positions get singled out as the reason why.
Even teams like the New England Patriots have fans that are always trying to change their team and complaining about positions even though they are always near or at the Super Bowl.
FanSided
Everyone values positions differently, but with the current roster and the current coaches here are my needs in order.
1. Cornerback
I believe that LeShaun Sims can be a CB2 in this scheme, especially if he develops as much as he did during the season, in the offseason. However, outside of that I am not sure that anyone is safe.
Jason McCourty hasn’t played exceptionally well and he costs a lot of money to be a team’s second best CB. Jon Robinson isn’t sentimental and he was raised in the New England Patriots system so I believe that could mean the end for McCourty in Tennessee despite how well he did over the majority of his career.
2. Linebacker
Too often the middle of the field was left wide open this year. In the redzone there were game ending catches where the Titans lost because they couldn’t carry a TE up the seam and the ball just sailed over a LB’s head.
The Tennessee Titans also ran a man defense a lot this year which often puts the linebacker in coverage with the tight end/running back. In the NFL now where those players are also used in the passing game often you have to have at least one linebacker who can really cover.
3. Wide Receiver
I think Jon Robinson and company would want a true number one receiver, but there is only one in this draft class: Corey Davis.
Now, there are receivers in this class outside of him that do things well, and their are players in free agency who make a lot of sense. However, if I were in Jon Robinson’s head I would expect he is looking for game changing speed (he has said this before) and someone to take reps at slot.
4. EDGE
Preferable a player that plays ROLB or RE because they seem to like the Derrick Morgan/Kevin Dodd combo on the other side, but they need someone to bring the heat behind Orakpo.
The Tennessee Titans had 21.5 sacks from their outside linebackers, 19.5 of those came from Orakpo and Morgan. So if one of those guys goes down you are essentially losing half of your pass rush. That can’t happen.
5. Safety
A truly elite safety would make this defense amazing, but outside of that I am not sure that they need just another body.
6. Nose tackle
The Tennessee Titans were rumored to be making a play for Snacks Harrison last year in free agency. I don’t know if that was because he is a blue-chip player or because they felt like they needed an upgrade at nose tackle.
Dick Lebeau’s defense is much different with a huge nose tackle clogging up lanes in the middle and keeping bodies off of the linebackers. Maybe they try to find one this year.
7. Tight End
This is at 7 because I think Marcus Mariota and Delanie Walker will be a top-2 QB/TE tandem for the next 3 years. However, like with any position an elite player could revolutionize a team.
The Tennessee Titans run 2 TEs a lot, so TE is almost a more useful and necessary position than drafting a slot WR or a 3rd WR given how rarely the Titans use those pieces.