The Tennessee Titans have spent hundreds of millions of dollars in free agency making sure that their defense can be fast and physical. Despite that, people still have questions about whether they have done enough.
Ask any Titans fan what they think the biggest hole on the roster is and most of them will say EDGE. Could the Titans use an infusion of talent at EDGE? Absolutely. However, the position isn't as barren as you might think when you remember what Robert Saleh's defense will look like.
Going back to looking at the defense as a whole, what did those hundreds of millions get the Titans? Cornerback has been massively improved and overhauled with Alontae Taylor and Cor'Dale Flott coming in to work on the outside so that Marcus Harris (and potentially Kevin Winston) can focus on developing into quality nickelbacks.
Titans enter NFL Draft with solid foundation at EDGE
The team also added crucial depth to defensive tackle, linebacker, and safety. Guys like Solomon Thomas, Jordan Elliott, Tony Adams, and Mohamoud Diabate are going to see real playing time unless the Titans find a rookie late in the draft to push for those roles.
However, the biggest additions Mike Borgonzi made were bringing in Jermaine Johnson and John Franklin-Myers. All of these moves work together to take a lot of pressure off the EDGE position.
Improved coverage on the backend means that the Titans' defensive front won't need to win instantly to get to the quarterback. The addition of Taylor specifically is important because he can cover on the outside, in the slot, or he can ditch coverage altogether and be a weapon as a blitzer and run defender.
While Jeffery Simmons will spend nearly all of his time in the B-gap, Franklin-Myers has been a movable piece throughout his career. It shouldn't shock anyone if the Titans line him up against offensive tackles a fair amount this season.
If Franklin-Myers is lining up against an offensive tackle, that means that the Titans will only have one traditional EDGE on the field. This circles back to why it was so smart to add depth at defensive tackle, because having guys that Saleh can trust, like Thomas and Elliott, means that he can kick Franklin-Myers out to EDGE even more often.
Even in traditional formations with two EDGEs, Saleh has shown that his defenses can get the most out of guys he's comfortable with. He doesn't need multiple Pro-Bowl EDGEs to get the job done; he just needs guys who can play with aggression until he rotates a new wave of defenders into the game.
Could the Titans draft an EDGE with the fourth overall pick? Absolutely, in fact, there is a lot of historical evidence that says that's the way the Titans go in the first round. However, if they decide to do something crazy like drafting a running back, it will be partially because they can go into the season feeling confident that this coaching staff can get this roster to play at a high enough level, thanks to an aggressive offseason.