Tennessee Titans: Potentially adding Jordan Matthews is a smart move
Jordan Matthews is set to visit with the Tennessee Titans’ brass in Nashville. Adding a veteran wide receiver like Matthews could prove to be a wise move down the road for the team.
Adam Schefter of ESPN tweeted recently that former Vanderbilt star Jordan Matthews is Tennessee bound to talk with GM Jon Robinson about a potential ‘homecoming’. Jordan Matthews is a Nashville native, and that may play a bigger role than people think. It will not only help recruit the fifth-year pass-catcher, but may serve as an extra motivator for Matthews as well.
It’s no secret that Matthews wasn’t happy to leave Philadelphia last year, as he was traded to the Buffalo Bills for Ronald Darby. That, combined with an already stagnant offense led by Tyrod Taylor, could definitely explain why 2017 was the worst statistical season for the 6-3 slot receiver in his career. Last season, Matthews was only able to haul in 25 balls for 282 yards in 10 games. If you compare that to his prior seasons in Philadelphia, it’s a severe drop-off in production.
https://twitter.com/JClarkNBCS/status/896398636942327808
What the Titans can offer Matthews is the comfortability of playing in his home state while also catching passes from an up-and-coming franchise quarterback in Marcus Mariota. History has shown that a happy Jordan Matthews is a productive Jordan Matthews, which showed in the free agent receiver never having a season consisting of less than 65 catches and 800 yards before 2017. That’s more consistent production than anybody on the Titans roster not named Delanie Walker.
The Titans have a lot of youth in their receiving corps, which is just as positive as it could be negative. While you get younger talented players on cheaper deals, the lack of experience can prove to be deadly in certain aspects (see: TNF game vs. Pittsburgh). With three out of four wideouts only having one full year of experience under their belt, it’s vital that Robinson adds some seasoned talent into this receiver room, and Matthews fits the bill perfectly while only being 25 years old.
Jordan Matthews in the slot for Philly in 2017? pic.twitter.com/ZtqIIapeTY
— PFF (@PFF) May 22, 2017
Matthews is essentially a younger and faster version of what the Titans were hoping Eric Decker would be last season. Despite the drops towards the end of the season, you can tell there was a certain connection between Mariota and Decker throughout the year. If that same connection can be developed between Mariota and Matthews, I believe we’ll see the Matthews of old in two-tone blue for years to come.