: February 26, 2024 9:32 AM

Titans' Mail: Deferring Needs, Derrick Henry Timing, Arena Football

Titans Three Red Stars Greetings people.

No dateline as I am moving between New Jersey and Indiana on Monday. Exciting times.

So here is a pre-combine mailbag as we get ready to hear from Brian Callahan and Ran Carthon on Tuesday as the combine starts to get rolling. Hopefully, we'll get a good deal of new information and insight to discuss out of that and then we'll get to know some prospects a bit.

It’s obvious that all of the needs won’t be met in one offseason. If I gave you these 3 position groups and asked which one you would defer til next season which would they be and why?
- Safety
-Edge
-Interior DL
— The General (@mac9nj) February 23, 2024

All the needs won’t be met with high-priced free agents or high draft picks. But they are going to find people to fill these spots.

I think it’s hard to answer this without knowing the assessments Brian Callahan and his staff have of the guys they are inheriting. How do they feel about Elijah Molden at safety? How about TK McClendon, Keondre Coburn and Quinton Bohanna on the defensive line? Can they be serviceable pieces?

We won’t get those appraisals until we see what they do. Then if they don’t do a heck of a lot on the defensive line, we can probably say, “Well they are satisfied they can make it work with what they’ve got at the outset.”

They did OK with those replacement-level guys on the D-line late last year, but Terrell Williams is gone now.

The other question is, how good do they get at other spots that have a bearing on the positions you are asking about? If they really upgrade at corner, then maybe the second safety can be a little weaker. If they get deeper at edge rusher and inside linebacker, then perhaps the d-line piece of the puzzle can be more complementary.

So it’s a good question that has a lot of elements to it that will be answered over time.

I'd put a premium on corner, try to re-sign Denico Autry and find an additional pass rusher. Then fill in around that valuing inside linebacker more than they traditionally have.

Does the announcement of the 2024 cap increasing to $255.4 million affect the almost $70 mil in cap space or was that number already factored in with the possibility of it increasing?
— Tony Johnson (@UncleTonyFast) February 23, 2024

All the estimated cap room was based on an estimated cap that was lower than what the cap turned out to be. So Over The Cap now has the Titans second in cap space with $78.66 million and first in effective cap space with $72.57 million. That second number takes into account the draft class and the most expensive 51 counting against the cap.

Do you think Bill Callahan can teach Brian Callahan how to be a superb coach at offensive line so there is a plan in place when Bill retires ?
— B-rett615 (@B_rett615) February 25, 2024

The head coach is never going to work like a position coach.

The Callahans picked Scott Fuchs (pronounced like “Books”- FOOKS) as the Titans’ assistant offensive line coach. Fuchs is a veteran of 30 college seasons coming into the NFL for the first time. I’m sure he’d be in line to take over for Bill Callahan if and when he retires.

Any Henry updates. Cap space seems to be there and from what I understand he wants to stay.
— Craig Chandler (@craigchandler12) February 25, 2024

There is no way anything will happen with the Titans and Derrick Henry before free agency opens. I’ll be shocked if his situation is resolved until after the draft at the end of April. I won’t be at all surprised if it’s not resolved until July.

Are you entertained by the arena football idea at all? I enjoy the product, and I realize it doesn’t have to be Major league.
— Joe (@joeNnashville) February 25, 2024

Not one bit.

I’m a major-league guy. I watch sports to see the best people in the world play the best version of the sport. And the sports I prefer are the ones where there is space for things to happen: Football, soccer, baseball. Basketball and hockey are too tight, and when people play real defense there is only so much that can unfold.