The Tennessee Titans have a few trade chips to offer if they want to make a move, but this one makes too much sense.
In just over two months the Tennessee Titans and Cleveland Browns will square off in Week 1 of the NFL season.
For many fans, the Browns feel like public enemy number one after the AFC South rivals. However, that is temporary and as soon as Week 1 is over we will all move on and hate the next team on Tennessee’s schedule.
When I was looking over the Cleveland Browns roster to try to figure out which games I should watch from the 2018 season to prep for this game, I was sure that I was going to see this loaded powerhouse roster. I mean, how many times have we heard that the Browns should be the favorite for the AFC North and dark horse Super Bowl champs?
Well, maybe we should all take a step back. As of today, the Browns are set to have one of the worst offensive tackle tandems in the NFL. At left tackle they are going to start Gregg Robinson and at right tackle they will start Chris Hubbard.
Out of 65 tackles that qualified, those two rank 47th and 44th in PFF’s pass blocking efficiency metric.
Beside those two they have Joel Bitonio who is very good and J.C. Tretter is fine, but they are also going to start Austin Corbett who has no experience.
At best, the offensive line is a question mark and at worst it is going to ruin their chance at a great season. So, why don’t the Tennessee Titans make a call.
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This is a trade that would probably come after Week 1, but the Titans just have too many offensive tackles that could be good in the NFL. I know your gut reaction is that you can never have too many good OTs, and normally I would agree with that, but this is a special year.
At the end of the season, the Titans are going to have to decide between Jack Conklin and Dennis Kelly. One of those guys has to be the starter at right tackle after this season, they can’t just keep having this battle every year.
Cleveland would be lucky to have either one of them if given the opportunity.
Jack Conklin has true All-Pro upside at right tackle and if he can come into the season healthy and back in form, there is no chance that the Titans consider trading him. However, if Dennis Kelly takes the majority of the snaps in camp and if Tennessee feels more comfortable with him at right tackle then they won’t hesitate.
If the winner at right tackle is Conklin, then the Browns are getting an offensive tackle that can play both sides in Dennis Kelly. He has a hulking frame and great technique that leaves fans impressed when he takes over.
Either way, those prospects are going to be worth their weight in gold by the time the season rolls around. Since Tennessee is cash strapped this coming offseason and has no chance of keeping both, why not make a move now and add a talent or a draft pick that can help you win games now and later rather than some draft pick down the line.
Some names are especially intriguing, like Duke Johnson and Genard Avery. However, if I am really swinging for the fences I am holding out for David Njoku.
It may sound crazy to think that you could land Njoku in this situation, but honestly how much of an impact is he going to have on this team long term? Jarvis Landry is going to attack the middle of the field and Odell Beckham will dominate on the outside. Throw in Rishard Higgins and Antonio Callaway and you have four receivers who should get plenty of opportunities in the passing game.
Seth Devalve isn’t a superstar, but he had plenty of publicity before last season and if he can’t thrive at tight end in those conditions then finding someone else who can should be easy.
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For the Titans, you can add a tight end to take over for Delanie Walker at some point in the future, but who genuinely has freakish potential if you get him with some great tight ends coaches in a system that features the tight end heavily. Luckily for Njoku he would get to work with Arthur Smith and his unofficial assistant tight ends Delanie Walker.
The point here isn’t that the Titans should be pushing for Njoku, he is just one solution. Ultimately this is about having two starting caliber offensive tackles set to hit free agency the same year, all while you are going to have cap trouble.
As a backup you always have Kevin Pamphile and Tyler Marz if you need to move someone out there in a pinch. If that happens then this deal was a gamble that maybe didn’t pay off, but if going from good to great is your mantra, sometimes you have to take a chance.