NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Here we are at the weekend again. I hope you've got big plans at the homestead for Easter weekend.
I appreciate the quality mail and did the best I could to answer as much as I could.
With the offense basically intact from last season, what scheme enhancements can be made? More targets to Humphries? Integrate Raymond more, deep or short? More toss plays to Henry to get quicker outside runs?
— Ed Triplett (@Wakeforest88) April 10, 2020
I like the Adam Humphries idea there. I’d put that on the list for sure. He was limited too much early on as he was staying in to help Dennis Kelly while he was at left tackle filling in for the suspended Taylor Lewan – less than ideal all along. Then he missed four games at the end of the regular season with an ankle injury.
They never really got him in sync.
In camp last year I thought the short passing game had a chance to be unstoppable with Humphries and Delanie Walker at the heart of it, but that did not come to fruition.
They are going to draft a guy who will be what Dion Lewis was supposed to be, and he should be an effective third-down passing option that will be a significant offensive enhancement.
Maybe Kalif Raymond continues to develop and gets more opportunity, maybe he gets the same chances and makes a bit more of them. Maybe Cam Batson overtakes him for that role. To me, it’d be ideal if the Titans select a guy in a great wide receiver draft who overtakes both and pushes for more regular snaps who is tabbed to replace Corey Davis in 2021.
Is it safe to assume the #Titans have a restructure agreement with Lewan or other higher cap guys to make room just in case? Would they pull the trigger on Clowney without having that assurance? #PKMail
— The General (@mac9nj) April 10, 2020
Taylor Lewan and Malcolm Butler are the two most logical restructure candidate. These would be unconventional moves for the Titans. But they are not a hard thing to get done. Players don’t pass on getting more money now instead of later, and it doesn’t amount to doing the team some big favor. The team is actually doing the player a favor.
I assure you, it would take no time for them to get a restructure done if they wanted to do one to free up 2020 cap money.
If the titans do sign clowney do you think that the need for drafting an edge will still be in the top 3 rounds or do you think it’s one they draft a developmental piece in the later rounds?
— Taylor (@atitaylor59) April 10, 2020
I think the need for an edge, unless someone they really love is available, has already dissipated without Jadeveon Clowney.
Numbers-wise they are in a good spot with Harold Landry, Vic Beasley, Kamalei Correa, Reggie Gilbert, Derick Roberson and D’Andre Walker (pictured). None of them register as the Jevon Kearse-like game-changing force they’ve been making for some time.
Jadeveon Clowney isn’t that either, at least directly as it pertains to a constant worry in terms of hitting the quarterback. But he’s someone offenses will have to regularly account for who would make things easier for everyone else.
So if they see a guy they think can be a stud early, they should still jump. As for a later developmental edge, the question would be how much faith do they have in Roberson and Walker, who they haven’t even seen in a game yet?
Do you see Johnny Rob trading out of the 29th pick to get more picks in later rounds to be used on defensive backs and at the right tackle position?? This is a question me and my buddies have???
— Slappy White (@JMKIII58) April 10, 2020
Rhett Bryan said yesterday that he feels 90% sure the Titans will not pick at 29, but instead trade back to pick up a 2 and possibly a 4. Do you share his certainty that the Titans will trade back? If not, who’s a guy that could conceivably keep them in that spot?
— Brad Forbis (@WolfpackBrad) April 10, 2020
Personally, I can’t imagine something like that is determined at this stage.
Jon Robinson can be leaning that way, but then what if a guy the Titans have rated 14th overall and need is available at 29? Couldn’t that change the Titans’ intentions?
Barring that, I’d certainly be comfortable with a trade back that would yield quality picks, still land a top nickel option and then provide the selections to pan out and replenish the depth – which needs to get better at corner, right tackle, running back, defensive line, and maybe quarterback.
They’ve also got to think about spots where they will be or could be getting thin in a year – receiver and tight end.
With as much sub-package as the Titans play, what options can you see for the nickel corner? Any draft prospects you like to claim the role?
— Jake Morgan (@MrJakeMorgan) April 10, 2020
Well, I’m curious about Xavier McKinney as a nickel corner, though I don’t have an entirely clear feel for how he’d translate from safety.
Among the early guys, Kristian Fulton may have nickel qualities. Later on, I am wondering about Javaris Davis and Grayland Arnold.
Since we haven’t seen anything from him yet, I’m curious, any chance D’Andre Walker works his way higher in the rotation than 6 or 7 at OLB? Top 3 OLB seem pretty set, gets hazy after that. Does he have the skill set or is he a fringe/special teams type of guy?
— Matt Tate (@MattTate) April 10, 2020
Certainly, Landry and Beasley shape up to be the top two and Kamalei Correa’s play at the end of the season makes him a top-three guy heading into the season. How things sift out after that will have to play out between Gilbert, Roberson and D’Andre Walker. If Clowney arrives, everyone gets bumped down.
Do they target a wr in the draft?
— Ricky Hanna (@surprisericky) April 10, 2020
I think so. It’s a great receiver class. They are a year away from a Corey Davis hole as it’s about impossible to imagine them exercising his fifth-year option in May. So they need a No. 2 in a year and it’d make sense to find him now. It would also be a good time to find additional speed.
I’ll follow up on the backup QB question from earlier. You think Jameis Winston would make a good backup for the @Titans ? Obviously his starting days are over but what do you think about insurance for Tannehill?
— Bart Tankersley (@barttankersley) April 10, 2020
Given the rest of the field of options, he’d be a great option. First, he’d have to come to terms with the role and the money it pays. Once he does that, he may find a team with a shakier starter.
Is Malcolm Butler over paid for what he brings?
— My Info (@stephenalexpri1) April 10, 2020
He got better in the second half of 2018 and was pretty good in 2019 before he broke his wrist cutting his second season with the Titans.
He’s now the 11th-highest-paid cornerback by average in the NFL at $12.25 million.
No, I don’t think he’s been a $12.25 million-a-year corner. But it’s not a crime-again-mankind contract either.
Thadd Axley This is a contract year for jayon brown (and i know the titans had a bunch of FAs this year) Think theyll try and get him resigned at all before he sniffs free agency or roll the dice and see what happens.? I could defiantly see another team going after him
Jayon Brown and Jonnu Smith are the two big guys on offense heading into contract years, which DaQuan Jones will be in the same situation on defense.
Under Jon Robinson, before 2020, the Titans had not had a year when players they were interested in retaining reached free agency. I imagine they’d like to get back to that, and the route back to that would be to return to the rhythm of a preseason extension for a prime guy.
Brown is certainly one of those.
Garrett Wise Is there any way possible to get both Clowney and Ryan back? If not how confident are you in Hooker filling that role?
I don’t think there is a chance the Titans sign both Clowney and Logan Ryan. And I’m not confident at all in Hooker filling Ryan’s role. I’m not sure why you’d turn to him instead of a draft pick.
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