NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Three guys I could see as the Titans’ first-round pick if they stick and pick Thursday night.

Jaylon Johnson, CB, Utah – Breaking down the five-pack of cornerbacks after Jeff Okudah and C.J. Henderson is a difficult job and I’m no expert here. I’ve bounced around on Trevon Diggs, A.J. Terrell, Kristian Fulton, Jeff Gladney and Johnson. They all have some level of appeal.

(Johnson photo courtesy Utah athletics.)

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- The Titans absolutely need some help on the defensive line, but I don’t see it as a top-line priority.

Sure. they could take a lineman in the first round if they see great value there and it could really fortify the position. But that would be back-to-back first-round defensive linemen in the first after Jeffery Simmons at No. 19 last year.

But this idea that they are replacing Jurrell Casey in this draft is misguided. Simmons replaces Casey. They are replacing Austin Johnson, hopefully with an upgrade.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The Titans used to show off their scouts a bit around draft time.

They were part of the team’s pre-draft press conference, which wasn’t, to be honest, that helpful. No one wanted to say anything and more voices speaking in generalities could make things even more awkward in the days before selections were made.

But in press conferences after picks, hearing from the area scout who’d studied the player the Titans just picked could frequently be interesting. The less camera-shy guys might tell a good story or offer a bit of color that filled in a bit about why the team leaned the prospect's direction.

Now, the seven men most involved in assisting Jon Robinson in preparing for the draft are largely anonymous – though he recently spent some time helping make them less so.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – If you’ve been holding out hope that Logan Ryan will reappear on the Titans’ radar after the draft if they don’t sufficiently replenish at corner, let it go.  

The most telling personnel clue that came out of a 45-minute session Jon Robinson and Mike Vrabel held with the press Monday was about how they have come to regard to nickel position.

And Ryan doesn’t fit the revised definition. [Unlocked]

By BLAKE BEDDINGFIELD, special correspondent 

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- An offensive preview of the draft from a Titans' perspective...

Currently, the Titans have holes at two key starting positions:  Nickel corner and defensive tackle. They also have other positions to fill for depth. They need a fourth and fifth corner, a fourth inside linebacker and a backup nose tackle.

The OLB room is getting full with the re-signing of backup Kamalei Correa and the free-agent signing of Vic Beasley, but this position has more numbers then true difference-makers.

(Cornerback Jeff Gladney courtesy TCU athletics.)

By BLAKE BEDDINGFIELD, special correspondent 

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- An offensive preview of the draft from a Titans' perspective...

As of now, the Titans' offensive needs are a starting right tackle, a backup quarterback, a backup running back, a wide receiver to replace Tajae Sharpe and a backup center to replace Jamil Douglas in 2020 and eventually replace Ben Jones.

(Running back Cam Akers photo courtesy Florida State athletics.)

Adding in the defensive need list all the positions of need will not be able to be filled by the six draft choices the Titans currently have.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – We don’t know how it’s structured yet, but Christian McCaffrey’s reported new deal with the Carolina Panthers isn’t going to make the possibility of a long-term deal between the Titans and Derrick Henry any easier.

Carolina’s Christian McCaffrey is signing a four-year extension, averaging $16 million per year, making him the highest-paid running back in NFL history, sources tell ESPN.

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) April 13, 2020

Henry recently signed his franchise tag worth $10.278 million for 2020, which lined him up behind only Ezekiel Elliott ($15 million), Le’Veon Bell ($13.125 million) and David Johnson ($13 million) in terms of yearly average, though they all got up-front bonuses and multiple years.

Now McCaffrey will be the NFL’s highest-paid back, in line for a $16 million average.

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.