NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The Titans have eight guys of note heading toward free agency, which opens March 14.
They are in a good spot as even if they lost this entire group they wouldn’t be too badly dented.
Here they are in what I see as their order of importance to the 2018 team.
1) Ryan Succop. The kicker was great in 2017, hitting 35 of 42 regular-season field-goal attempts and three of three in the playoffs. The Titans had good specialists and would be wise to keep Succop to maintain it.
2) DaQuan Jones. The defensive end was too quiet for too long in 2017 but started making some noise before he suffered a season-ending knee injury. He had 3.5 sacks in two games before suffering a torn biceps on Dec. 3 against Houston that ended his season. That could help keep his price down. I think he’s a solid piece of the line.
3) Avery Williamson. He can be good, but he wasn’t great in 2017. He did get better at the season progressed, but Wesley Woodyard outplayed him by a mile. A rangier inside linebacker to work with Woodyard and Jayon Brown would be my preference. These guys have to cover. We'll get a real sense of how Mike Vrabel, who was a linebacker, feels about Williamson with how they treat him as a free agent.
4) Josh Kline. He wasn’t good in 2017, but when you noticed him it was doing good work on the move. The Titans will use a lot more zone scheme up front so that movement will be even more important. The scheme could be a better fit for him.
5) Erik Walden. He gave the Titans enough that they shaped a package to get him on the field with outside linebacker starters Brian Orakpo and Derrick Morgan. The Titans need a big-time, young edge rusher. But Walden would still be a good piece to have.
6) Eric Decker. He picked a bad time to have his bad stretch at season’s end and into the playoffs. He doesn’t get much separation at all. But he’s the most precise guy the Titans have had in some time, with a better sense of where he is on the field than anybody. Tajae Sharpe is returning from a foot injury and could conceivably fill the same spot.
7) Brice McCain. A Dick LeBeau guy I expect them to be done with.
8) Harry Douglas. A Mike Mularkey/Terry Robiskie guy I expect them to be done with.
Also: Brian Schwenke, Brandon Weeden.
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