Tennessee Titans top 6 impending free agents for 2020
CHICAGO, IL – NOVEMBER 27: Akiem Hicks #96 of the Chicago Bears rushes against Ben Jones #60 of the Tennessee Titans at Soldier Field on November 27, 2016 in Chicago, Illinois. The Titans defeated the Bears 27-21. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)
Honorable mention: Ben Jones, C
Adding to the list of offensive lineman the Titans will have to make a decision on, Ben Jones has played in 16 games in each of his seven seasons in the NFL, starting in 80 of 80 games in the last five years.
Jones was OK for the Titans in 2018, ranking as the No. 12 center, according to PFF’s grading. The issue for Jones is that he’s not a great fit in the Titans’ current offensive scheme, although a second-straight year in a zone-blocking scheme could lead to better results for him.
The 30-year-old is a smart player and a great locker room guy. While he doesn’t excel at any one thing necessarily, Jones’ ability to stay on the field is rare in today’s NFL. That can’t be overlooked by any stretch as long as his play remains up to par.
The question is: has he and will he be able to do enough in 2019 to warrant another contract from the Titans?
It is quite possible the Titans decide to let him walk in favor of a younger, cheaper option. Perhaps that option could be on the roster in the form of Corey Levin, who played some center last year, but has more to prove if he’s going to be trusted as the starter beyond 2019.
The Titans would have to be certain that Levin, or someone else on the roster, is as dependable as Jones. It isn’t easy to replace an offensive lineman with the ironman-like qualities that Jones has.