ESPN rated the offseasons of all 32 NFL teams and the Tennessee Titans came out of it with an above average rating.
Tennessee Titans general manager Jon Robinson did his best to fill in some holes on both sides of the ball this offseason and as it turns out, he did a pretty good job of doing just that.
ESPN rated the offseasons of each NFL team in 2019 and the Titans came out smelling like a rose with an above average rating, the second-best mark on the list behind an “elite” grade. Only the Cleveland Browns came away with that rating.
Turren Davenport of ESPN gave us the rundown.
"Offseason goals: Find a way to maximize quarterback Marcus Mariota under first-year offensive coordinator Arthur Smith. The offense was inconsistent last season, especially the passing game. The Titans lacked weapons and a consistent player to move the chains in third-down situations.Biggest question still to be answered: Can the offense do enough to complement what appears to be a shutdown defense? Under coordinator Dean Pees, the Titans’ defense finished as a top-three scoring unit. Most of the key pieces return and the team’s identity remains defense first. If the offense can score points more consistently, things will work well for the Titans. It all starts with Mariota, but having Derrick Henry and the running game firing on all cylinders will add to their potency."
Tennessee Titans wide receiver upgrades
As far as the Titans lacking weapons in the passing game goes, Robinson made some intriguing moves to tackle that issue.
The signing of 25-year-old Adam Humphries gives the Titans a proven receiver who will make an immediate impact from the slot. Humphries is coming off his best year as a pro with 76 receptions for 816 yards and five touchdowns, all career-highs.
Drafting A.J. Brown in the second round of the 2019 NFL Draft was a move that gives the Titans a receiver with major upside coming off a college season in which he totaled over 1,300 yards through the air. Admittedly, Brown is a bit of a wild card in his first season, as many rookie receivers are. At worst, he’ll serve as solid depth.
Tennessee Titans offensive line upgrades
Another area of need was the team’s offensive line. The Titans’ biggest impact move there was signing former Los Angeles Rams left guard Rodger Saffold, who will be an improvement on the interior of an offensive line that underperformed last season.
Third-round pick Nate Davis, who has been described as a “mauler” upfront, is another guard added to this roster. Davis figures to factor in more down the road at some point, but he will have a chance to compete for the starting right guard spot right away.
Tennessee Titans pass-rush upgrades
The Titans already had one of the better defenses in the NFL last season, but that wasn’t good enough for the Titans’ GM. Instead, Robinson brought in a top-notch pass-rusher in Cameron Wake and drafted defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons in the first round.
While we know what Wake can do and how much he can help a Titans pass-rush that was lacking in 2018, we’ll have to wait to see Simmons in action as he recovers from a torn ACL suffered in February. His timetable for return is still unclear, but a 2019 return is very possible.
From what we know thus far, Simmons can be a beast in the middle of the Titans’ defensive line with an ability to get to the quarterback if he can successfully recover from his injury. If not for said injury, Simmons was slated to be a top-10 pick and the Titans were able to nab him at No. 19, making it a risk well worth taking.
All in all, the Titans addressed many needs this past offseason and an above average rating is a fair assessment for just how good the Titans did in improving an already talented roster for the 2019 campaign.