Veteran Free Agents Could Provide Value For Tennessee Titans

The combination of solid play and affordability makes these veteran free agents an attractive option to help the Titans improve their roster.

With free agency right around the corner, Tennessee Titans fans are rightfully looking forward to the possibilities of signing a premier free agent (fingers crossed for Alshon Jeffery!). But expectations should be tempered, as the Titans have never managed to land a top tier FA in prior offseasons. And that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. The Titans last big free agency signing was Andy Levitre…and we all know how well that worked out. So, while general manager Jon Robinson surely will chase some of the big names, you can bet that he has backup plans in place.

When it comes to adding free agents to your roster, GMs look not only at talent, but at value. And with contracts getting more and more expensive, some of the best value out there comes in the form of veterans contracts. Players over 30 come with an increased risk of injury and declining play, so usually their contracts are less expensive and of shorter length. But many of these over-the-hill players still can ball, and their cheap, low-risk contracts can end up being a big source of value for their team. Below is a list of players who may no longer be in their prime, but can still play and would help the Titans in areas of need.

Terence Newman

Terence Newman is a freak of nature. Plain and simple. While most cornerbacks start losing a step in their early 30s, Newman is still going strong at the ripe old age of 38. He was a major contributor last season for the Minnesota Vikings, logging over 800 snaps. Pro Football Focus has him ranked as the 9th best CB in the NFL in 2016, and had him finish 1st in yards per coverage snap, at 0.57. That would be great for any CB, and downright insane for a player who is almost 40.

Realistically, Newman can’t continue to be this good for much longer. But signing him to a deal similar to his 1 year, $2.5 M contract from 2016 would be a great move for the Titans. Best case scenario: he plays like he did last year and would be the best CB on the Titans roster. At worst, he would provide depth and veteran leadership to a weak position. The fact he will probably only require 1 guaranteed year would make this a low risk, high reward signing.

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Brandon LaFell

Few fans would get too excited over signing Brandon LaFell. The Bengals only brought him in last year as a last resort when they lost both Mohamed Sanu and Marvin Jones to free agency. But LaFell rewarded them by having more receiving yards in 2016 (862) than Sanu or Jones did in any single season in their cumulative 7 years with the Bengals. After A.J. Green was lost to injury, LaFell became the primary option and averaged 74 yards/game from then on. He had 5 games this season where he had 4+ receptions and average over 19 yards per catch. In a study done by the NFL.com’s Matt Harmon, LaFell was one of the best WRs in the league at creating separation, something the Titans struggled with in 2016.

After a successful season, it’s easy to assume that he will want a bigger contract than the 1 year/2.5M deal he received from the Bengals in 2016. But I can’t imagine the 30 year old LaFell will be wildly expensive. He would improve Tennessee’s WR depth and provide the downfield option the Titans have been missing.

Alan Branch

Alan Branch never really developed into the disruptive force the Cardinals expected him to be when they drafted him with the 33rd pick in 2007. But, as is the case with many players, his career was revitalized once he joined the Patriots. He has been a crucial factor in their run defense, and has helped them win two Super Bowls. At 6’6, 350 he is a black hole who swallows up double teams and allows his linebackers to make plays. Pro Football Focus ranked him in the top 8 at his position for run defense. He doesn’t provide much value as far as pass rush, but taking 3rd downs off will help keep his 32 year old legs fresh.

NT is an underrated need for the Titans, as Al Woods still has yet to impress through his second year with the team. Branch might be looking for a pay bump up from his previous 2 year, $4.3M deal, but he still should be relatively cheap due to his age and 2 down limitation. But the impact he would have on the rush defense would be noticeable.

Other Veteran Possibilities: Leon Hall, Anquan Boldin, Julius Peppers

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