By MIKE HERNDON, columnist

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- We are just over two weeks out from the start of the 2023 NFL Draft and the Tennessee Titans are set to make their highest selection since taking Corey Davis fifth overall in 2017.

Offensive line is still certainly in play, and I do believe Ran Carthon’s reported quarterback interest is real, but there is one player that I keep coming back to as an ideal selection for this franchise: Ohio State’s Jaxon Smith-Njigba.

Before I make the case for Smith-Njigba specifically, let me talk about the value of the wide receiver position at large and why I think it’s become more and more clear that it’s the second-most important position on offense and arguably the second most important position in modern football period.

By BLAKE BEDDINGFIELD, special correspondent

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- The Tennessee Titans are in need of playmakers at the wide receiver position.

They have relied on Derrick Henry to consistently push them into the playoffs but have stalled there. Henry has been a great player and has taken the pressure off the offense for not having a top quarterback and without A.J. Brown a top wide receiver.

After trading AJ Brown before the 2022 draft the need for wide receivers on this team has grown even larger.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. --  The pieces aren’t all in place yet, but still some of the Titans' biggest offensive moments of 2023 may have been mapped out in recent weeks.

While Mike Vrabel’s offensive staff has spent afternoons studying and evaluating draft picks who can come in and help, mornings have been devoted to crafting the playbook players already on the roster and the ones who will join them in a few weeks will start with as a baseline.

There will be plenty of times on Sundays in the fall and winter that have their origins now. And around the league, the building that’s taking place with new or shuffled staffs can have long-term meaning.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – There was a bunch of nonsensical fan panic about Jeffery Simmons.

It was as if because the franchise blew it with one foundational player in A.J. Brown a trend had begun and there was no way they’d retain the next.

Brown made clear he was going to be a squeaky wheel with one year left on his contract and was dealing with a GM who thought he could magically fill any hole who sent him away far too quickly.

I didn’t imagine Simmons going down the same path in terms of disrupting the team, though his inexperienced agent was a concern. [Unlocked]

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Happy Easter and welcome to the ever-popular Titans mailbag.

If you’ve somehow missed the podcast, you’re going to want to hear from Matt Harmon on the Titans' wide receiver situation and the draft possibilities at the position.

The new episode of The Paul Kuharsky Podcast awaits you on Apple, Spotify, Google Podcasts, TuneIn and YouTube.

Here's the snippet on Jaxon Smith-Njigba.

The Paul Kuharsky Podast:
Receiver Talk with @MattHarmon_BYB

💥Details on Burks' progress, Smith-Njigba, Scott, Dell & more. #Titans
💥QB trade-up?

YouTube: https://t.co/b1Uad0QLo8

Brought to you by: https://t.co/2QwN8uPC0U

On JSN paired with Burks... pic.twitter.com/vTou3mYS2j

— Paul Kuharsky (@PaulKuharskyNFL) April 6, 2023

Without further ado, onto your best questions...

What is your honest opinion on the overall state of the Titans and their future as of right now?

— Depressed Titans fan (@SADTITANSFAN22) April 7, 2023

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – With a great deal of non-football costs since 2020, I’ve wondered just what kind of financial shape the Titans are in on the football side right now and will be in by the time they move into their new stadium for the 2027 season.

It was one of the primary questions I took to Phoenix for the NFL annual meeting recently and a league source with a clear understanding of the team’s finances told me there were “zero issues.”  

I also raised the question with general manager Ran Carthon, who said owner Amy Adams Strunk or anyone in ownership and management had not mentioned any big-picture team finances as having any bearing on football outlays to him. [Unlocked]

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- One of the great mysteries about the Titans heading into the NFL Draft is at receiver, where they need major help.

A team that has put high value on big, physical guys is looking to be faster all over the field. In this draft, there are a lot of interesting options who would come with a trade-off of size for speed.

The new episode of The Paul Kuharsky Podcast awaits you on Apple, Spotify, Google Podcasts, TuneIn and YouTube, which is below.

Whichever platform you prefer, please subscribe, rate, review and share.

Subjects I dive into:

💥 A detailed conversation about wide receivers with Matt Harmon of Reception Perception.
💥 The state of the stadium progress.
💥 Amy Adams Strunk's finances.
💥 The idea of the Titans making a move for a top-four QB in the draft.

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Please keep the feedback coming. The podcast is just the front door to PaulKuharsky.com. If you like what you hear or see here, you'd really love the rest of the site. Come join the fun.

By MIKE HERNDON, columnist

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- It’s officially draft month and there is a rumor floating from NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah that the Titans have been exploring the possibility of moving up to the third overall pick for a quarterback.