NASHVILLE, Tenn. – First-round picks need to be long-standing foundations and pillars of an organization.

By that measure, Jon Robinson is struggling.

His first first-rounder, Jack Conklin, was a rookie All-Pro. I thought the Titans justifiably passed on Conklin’s fifth-year option in the spring of 2019. Conklin had knee issues, his play at that stage was in question and the money was big.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- The Titans decided not to pay Adoree' Jackson his bloated fifth-year option after all, cutting the cornerback Tuesday along with starting right tackle Dennis Kelly even after the Isaiah Wilson fiasco.

So the team is in dire need at cornerback, where second-year, second-rounder Kristian Fulton is the centerpiece, Malcolm Butler is a salary cap victim, Jackson is gone after a year basically lost to injury and Desmond King is a free agent.

Fulton missed seven games and didn't do much when he played.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- That edge pass rusher the Titans have been in dire need of struck a deal with the team, and while Bud Dupree's ACL rehabilitation may spill into training camp the team clearly believes he will be worth the wait.

Tennessee is turning to the Steelers' free-agent outside linebacker to help cure its pass-rushing woes, according to Ian Rapoport.

It's their second addition to the defensive front on the first day of free agency courtships. Earlier the Titans agreed to terms with defensive end Denico Autry.

The moves should transform an anemic defensive front that produced a woeful 19 sacks last season while allowing opponents to convert 51.9 percent of their third downs. [Unlocked]

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The Titans' pass-rush upgrade begins not on the edge but on the defensive line with the addition of Denico Autry of the Colts, per Ian Rapoport.

Courtesy Indianapolis Colts

The line has been an understated position of need given the Titans’ major issues on the edge and at receiver as well as at corner.

But the pass rush has gotten little from linemen.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The first of the Titans’ big pool of free agents to leave was, in my estimation, the most important.

Jonnu Smith is the most significant of the crop in terms of his importance to the team’s identity. The Titans talk about tough, physical, team-first guys, and he’s been that for them through his four seasons.

Those who think he’ll be easily replaced put too much weight into receiving numbers, which weren’t huge, though he had eight TDs last season, and underrate his versatility. And when he did catch the ball he could run people over or run away from them, a nightmare matchup at times. [Unlocked]

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Our two-month non-compete is over and Jonathan Hutton, Chad Withrow and I are back in the broadcast business.

We introduce ourselves in an initial podcast that's already up on Spotify and will land shortly on other platforms.

Please subscribe and rate as you head to Apple, Spotify, or Stitcher. Today's show will be there for you not long after we wrap. I will turn these links live as they come online.

As for today's show live... [Unlocked, of course]

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- This post was initially going to be about how the biggest question regarding the Titans' potential to restructure a big contract or two could be just how liquid ownership is.

After all, a standard restructure of Ryan Tannehill, dropping his base salary from $24.5 million to the minimum of $1.075 million while converting the remainder to signing bonus could save the Titans over $15.6 in 2021 salary cap dollars, a real windfall.

I wondered if Amy Adams Strunk and the Titans were in position to write such a check after she and he ownership partners just bought out her sister's third of the team and endured the revenue drop-off that came as a result of the Covid-19 changes to the NFL.

Just how liquid are the Titans right now?

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- The Titans head into the two-day pre-free agent negotiating period that starts Monday with their biggest need list in recent memory.

They could still re-sign one or two of their own people.

But at this point, they have significant roster holes at edge, wide receiver, tight end, defensive line, cornerback and inside linebacker. They need multiple people at some of those spots. They have secondary issues with depth at safety and on the offensive line.

Haason Reddick, courtesy Arizona Cardinals

Only at running back are they in good shape.

I've seen plenty of these guys play and have now talked to some people, read a ton of reviews and looked at a bit more.

Now, here is my guide as to who I can see them targeting and a few guys I hope they will shoot for in the days ahead.

Keep in mind that receiver and edge are strong positions in free agency and cornerback is OK while defensive line, tight end and linebacker are not great.

Prices are estimated annual averages from Spotrac (ST) and Pro Football Focus (PFF).