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Grading the Tennessee Titans biggest free agency moves

By Brady Akins

BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - JANUARY 11: Quarterback Ryan Tannehill #17 of the Tennessee Titans and Derrick Henry #22 talk on the field during the AFC Divisional Playoff game against the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium on January 11, 2020 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Will Newton/Getty Images)
BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - JANUARY 11: Quarterback Ryan Tannehill #17 of the Tennessee Titans and Derrick Henry #22 talk on the field during the AFC Divisional Playoff game against the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium on January 11, 2020 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Will Newton/Getty Images) /
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BALTIMORE, MD – JANUARY 11: Quarterback Lamar Jackson #8 of the Baltimore Ravens and Jurrell Casey #99 of the Tennessee Titans embrace after the Titans win the AFC Divisional Playoff game 28-12 at M&T Bank Stadium on January 11, 2020 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Todd Olszewski/Getty Images) /

Jurrell Casey’s trade

As much as this move hurts, as sad as it is to see a staple of the team through both good and bad days off the roster, it’s a move that makes sense… I guess.

The rationale being used to explain away Jon Robinson’s move to trade Jurrell Casey to the Broncos for only a seventh-round pick in return is that Casey had been regressing as a player and taking up more space in the salary cap than he was worth.

Maybe that’s true. The veteran defensive tackle found the field for 14 starts last year with the Titans, but was only able to manage five sacks and five tackles for loss, a down year for Casey’s Pro Bowl standard.

But Casey has had down years before, only to bounce back the following season and show his dominance as a player. The 30-year-old isn’t in his prime, by any stretch, but the five-time Pro Bowler is just one year removed from finishing in the top 15 for interior defensive linemen in sacks and tackles for loss, and led the Titans in both those metrics in 2018.

Freeing up cap room is one thing, but Casey is a player deserving of a market bigger than one seventh-round pick. Declining play or not, the Titans will miss his leadership and production.

Grade: D (Or H for Heartbroken)

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