Tennessee Titans: End of the Year Awards for the 2017 Season
By Max Dambach
Offensive Player of the Year: Taylor Lewan
It is unheard of for an offensive lineman to win offensive player of the year. They are incapable of putting up gaudy stat lines like a skill position player and if they do their job well, you almost never hear about them, as they prevent sacks and spring their running backs free. In a down year for the rest of the offense, Taylor Lewan continued to be one of the best young players on the team at left tackle.
The young tackle is a standout in pass protection, but his ability in the run game takes him to an elite level. He has the speed and athleticism to get out in front of a running back and the strength and power to bulldoze through defenders. Lewan should earn a large contract in the near future since he is a leader both on the field and in the locker room. Lewan’s hard-nosed style of play galvanized the Titans’ front five this season and represents the kind of culture that GM Jon Robinson and new HC Mike Vrabel want on this team, which also help him make a case for the 2017 Offensive Player of the Year award.