Tennessee Titans: Offensive Positional Grades Entering the 2018 Season
Heading into the 2018 NFL season, let’s look into the Tennessee Titans roster position by position and grade the units.
Tennessee Titans GM Jon Robinson has finished his work in the offseason, adding new talent to the team through free agency and the draft. With new additions through both mediums, along with a young new offensive coordinator in Matt LaFleur, the Titans have the tools to be an explosive offensive team.
Offensive Tackle: A+
Projected Starters:
- Taylor Lewan
- Jack Conklin
New Additions:
- Kevin Pamphile (Free Agency)
Depth:
- Dennis Kelly
- Kevin Pamphile
Analysis:
Offensive tackle is arguably the most secure and most talented position on the Titans’ roster. Taylor Lewan and Jack Conklin are two of the best offensive tackles in the NFL, and they both should have 10+ years of good football left ahead of them. Lewan made the Pro Bowl for the second year in a row in 2017, and Conklin made the AP All-Pro first team two years ago. The only concern with this group is their inability to stay healthy. Conklin suffered an ACL tear in the last game of the year, and Lewan has had a long history of minor knocks. Dennis Kelly serves as a serviceable backup, and Kevin Pamphile has starting experience.
Running back: A
Projected Starter:
- Derrick Henry
New Additions:
- Dion Lewis (Free Agency)
- Akrum Wadley (UDFA)
Depth:
- Dion Lewis
- David Fluellen
- Akrum Wadley
Analysis:
The running back duo of Derrick Henry and Dion Lewis should be a frightening one for opposing defenses. The addition of Lewis provides a great complement for Henry, making up for Henry’s weaknesses in the passing game. They both have their own effective running styles that will be very fun to watch. Towards the end of last season, Henry had strong performances against Jacksonville and Kansas City, being a huge factor in both wins for the Titans. Akrum Wadley is a very shifty running back with a lot of college production. Hopefully, he can earn a roster spot with a strong preseason performance. The success of the Titans’ offense this upcoming season will have a lot to do with the success of their running backs.
Tight end: A-
Projected Starter:
- Delanie Walker
New Additions:
- N/A
Depth:
- Jonnu Smith
- Phillip Supernaw
- Luke Stocker
Analysis:
The Titans have one of the best tight ends in the NFL in Delanie Walker, but they cannot ignore the fact that he will turn 34 at the start of the season. His production will not keep up forever. The Titans have a promising young prospect behind him in Jonnu Smith who should be able to contribute in the passing game. Phillip Supernaw and Luke Stocker are primary blockers. This group is still very solid.
Quarterback: B
Projected Starter:
- Marcus Mariota
New Additions:
- Luke Falk (Draft)
Depth:
- Blaine Gabbert
- Luke Falk
Analysis:
This is a huge year for Marcus Mariota. Coming into his fourth year, Mariota must prove that he can limit turnovers and improve aspects in his game, such as footwork and accuracy. Mariota has weapons around him, and he has an offensive coordinator that can fully utilize his strengths. He is the future at quarterback for the Tennessee Titans, and he has proved he can lead the team deep into the playoffs.
Behind him, the Titans addressed the need for a quality backup quarterback, and found two this offseason. The Titans cannot be completely dependent on Mariota because of his injury history. Blaine Gabbert beat the Titans last year as a starter for the Arizona Cardinals. He can be trusted to win a game if needed to. Also, Luke Falk could end up being a great backup to Mariota. Falk was selected with the 199th pick in the NFL Draft, the same pick as Tom Brady. Coincidence? Definitely not. This group is reliable and talented. Mariota should play with more confidence now that he has a better supporting cast.
Guard/Center: C+
Projected Starters:
- Josh Kline (G)
- Ben Jones (C)
- Quinton Spain (G)
New Additions:
- Xavier Su’a-Filo (Free Agency)
Depth:
- Corey Levin
- Xavier Su’a-Filo
Analysis:
Little has changed in personnel from the last season to this upcoming season. Josh Kline and Quinton Spain are both solid, but both struggled in 2017. Spain had turf toe for a portion of the year, which could have been a factor in his play. Ben Jones is very consistent but is not great. Corey Levin is the wildcard here. He was a 6th round pick for Tennessee in the 2017 NFL Draft and played for University of Tennessee-Chattanooga in college. He could challenge for a starting spot at any of the three interior positions.
Wide Receiver: C
Projected Starters:
- Corey Davis
- Rishard Matthews
- Taywan Taylor
New Additions:
- Michael Campanaro (Free Agency)
- Deontay Burnett (UDFA)
Depth:
- Tajae Sharpe
- Michael Campanaro
- Deontay Burnett
Analysis:
The Titans have a very young group of wide receivers. Last year, they often looked lost and desperate for someone to step up and make a play. Corey Davis, Taywan Taylor, and Tajae Sharpe are all only heading into their second years and still carry large potential.
Davis, a 5th overall pick from the 2017 NFL Draft, had a promising but disappointing rookie season. He was constantly hurt and had a hard time staying on the field. When he was playing, he showed glimpses of serious upside. Davis has play-making ability and hopefully can prove himself as the #1 receiver on the team in the future. Rishard Matthews is very consistent, but he only has the talent of a #2 or #3 receiver. He is often put in situations he cannot thrive in because he has never had quality receivers around him. Matthews is turning 29 next season and is likely past the prime of his career. Taylor, a third round pick in the 2017 draft, did not have much production on the field this past season. Only time will tell if he can prove to be productive as a slot receiver. Sharpe had a year off due to injury but was productive in his rookie season.
Overall, this wide receiving core is the worst position group on the offense. Besides Matthews, no receiver is proven. There is a lot of potential, but this group will need to step up in order for the Tennessee Titans to be successful in 2018.