Marcus Mariota’s new weapons give Tennessee Titans hope

NASHVILLE, TN - SEPTEMBER 16: Corey Davis #84 of the Tennessee Titans is tackled by Johnathan Joseph #24 of the Houston Texans during the fourth quarter at Nissan Stadium on September 16, 2018 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
NASHVILLE, TN - SEPTEMBER 16: Corey Davis #84 of the Tennessee Titans is tackled by Johnathan Joseph #24 of the Houston Texans during the fourth quarter at Nissan Stadium on September 16, 2018 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) /
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The Tennessee Titans top trio of wide receivers should make other team’s envious.

After years of Marcus Mariota and Derrick Henry being the focal point of conversations surrounding the Tennessee Titans offense, it is time to shift focus elsewhere.

Instead of focusing on the quarterback or running back, the receivers are the reason for optimism in Tennessee for the first time in at least a decade and maybe in franchise history.

At least, that is what Bleacher Report says in their league-wide breakdown of reasons for optimism across the NFL.

"As quarterback Marcus Mariota goes into a crucial year, he’ll have the assets to put together his best season as a passer. In addition to wideouts Corey Davis, Taywan Taylor and Tajae Sharpe, the Tennessee Titans added four-year veteran Adam Humphries and rookie second-rounder A.J. Brown."

By all accounts Marcus Mariota is healthy and confident in the Tennessee Titans offense, marking only the second time in his career where he has entered the season without needing to learn a new playbook.

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The question for the Titans do revolve around Mariota, but not for the same reasons they have in the past.

Instead of asking if Mariota can improve the talent around him, the questions are now about if he can feed all the weapons around him.

In Corey Davis you have a bona fide WR1 who would have had nearly 1,500 yards in the Pittsburgh Steelers offense last year based on volume and market share:

Opposite him the Titans will have the stellar rookie from Ole Miss, A.J. Brown. The less talked about Rebels receiver who outperformed D.K. Metcalf every year in college and whose YAC skills and physicality make him dangerous whenever he touches the ball.

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Finally, inside the Titans have a new safety blanket in Adam Humphries who is a great teacher and a technical marvel in the slot. For a QB who can be as mechanical (I mean that in a good way) as Mariota, having a precise target is huge.

With all of that talent, my biggest question is whether or not the Titans will pass enough to really show off just how exciting this group of receivers is.

If the throw the ball at an average level instead of being one of the most run-heavy teams in the NFL, then I think everyone I mentioned could have a career year. Davis could end up with 1,000 yards and still leave plenty of targets left on the table for guys like Brown and Humphries.

Only time will tell exactly how good the offense is, but like Bleacher Report’s article said there is definitely reason to be optimistic about the Titans receivers.