3 roster bubble players the Tennessee Titans could sign before the season starts
By Will Lomas
After signing TE Alize Mack from the San Antonio Brahmas (XFL) it is clear that the Tennessee Titans are paying attention to the talent in the spring league.
It is certainly possible that Ran Carthon and Mike Vrabel could continue to attempt to add some legitimate depth to the Tennessee Titans roster by signing XFL and USFL players, but the NFL is still king and if they can add experienced NFL veterans then that should be the top priority.
The part of free agency that actually matters is over for now, but it is easy to forget that NFL rosters will be cut in half in about three months. Once the preseason has concluded, teams will whittle down their rosters all the way down to 53 players and there will be hundreds of players available.
Don't dismiss the idea of finding some solutions on the waiver wire during this process because there are plenty of reasons why good players could be cut. Whether that is log jams at certain positions, lack of versatility, inability to play special teams, price, a player not fitting a scheme fit, etc. just because they don't make an initial 53-man roster doesn't mean that they can't be good players.
Due to the lack of moves made to address the Tennessee Titans WR room, everyone connected to the team (outside of the Tennessee Titans' front office) has been pouring over depth charts trying to figure out which players might hit the waiver wire before the season.
You could make an argument for a dozen guys, but there are three that stand out to me as players who are not only depth pieces but players who could start for the Tennessee Titans quickly.
1. Corey Davis/Denzel Mims WRs, New York Jets
Let's go ahead and get this one out of the way because it is the most obvious and the easiest fit. Even though the Jets have said they are going to horde all the receiver talent, if everyone makes it through August with a clean bill of health, it is hard to see the Jets keeping both Corey Davis and Denzel Mims.
Davis makes more sense to cut given his cap situation and it is easy to see him coming in and starting as the Tennessee Titans "Z" opposite with Treylon Burks playing the "X" role in the offense.
Mims would have more to prove, but he also has incredible athleticism which was highlighted when he ran a 4.38 at 6'3 and nearly 210 lb. He would give the Titans another dimension on offense as a vertical threat for Ryan Tannehill and Will Levis.
2. Cedrick Wilson WR, Miami Dolphins
An above-average athlete, the 27-year-old Wilson has primarily spent time moving around the offense as a boundary and a slot receiver. Athletically, he has a very similar profile to what Mike Vrabel and Ran Carthon have gravitated toward in the past, so it is easy to see how all of that could make him a fit with the Tennessee Titans.
On top of that, he can be a special teams player which means he and Nick Westbrook-Ikhine could both be active without hurting the special teams depth that Mike Vrabel desires.
The Dolphins have a stacked group of wide receivers including Tyreek Hill, Jaylen Waddle, Braxton Berrios (just signed), Robbie Anderson (just signed), and several other cheap options to fill out the roster. Cutting Wilson frees up $3 million for them and it doesn't seem like he fills a role that they really value.
3. Jakeem Grant WR/PR, Cleveland Browns
Grant is interesting because he fits into a category of player that seems to get released every year. Grant is a Pro Bowl punt returner who can give you some receiver snaps if you need him to, but after an injury in August knocked him out for the entire 2022 season, he could end up being released by the Browns before he ever takes a snap.
This offseason they traded for Elijah Moore, signed Marquise Goodwin and drafted Cedric Tillman in the third round of the 2023 NFL Draft. Adding those three to a wide receiver group that also includes Amari Cooper, Donovan Peoples-Jones, and 2022 third-round pick David Bell, it is easy to see why Grant may be the odd man out even if he still has value to a team like the Tennessee Titans.