The NFL is back, and Sportsnet is breaking down everything you need to know about each of the 32 teams—including why you should or shouldn’t be rooting for them this season—in the month leading up to kickoff on Thursday, Sept. 8. Today, the Tennessee Titans.
Last year’s record: 3-13
Head coach: Mike Mularkey
Core players: Marcus Mariota (QB), Jurrell Casey (DE), Brian Orakpo (LB), Delanie Walker (TE), Jason McCourty (CB)
2016 is about… Marcus Mariota proving he’s a true franchise quarterback and not merely a highly touted prospect that had a decent rookie campaign. The Titans traded away the first-overall pick in the 2015 draft to the Rams in part because they preferred Mariota, the No. 2 pick from 2015, to Jared Goff and Carson Wentz. The season is also about becoming a team that isn’t fun to play against. When road teams strolled into Nissan Stadium last season they expected to win and that’s exactly what happened in seven of the Titans’ eight home games.
They lost… Sophomore wide receiver Dorial Green-Beckham when they dealt him to the Eagles. All they got in return was offensive line depth in the form of Dennis Kelly, which was somewhat surprising considering how promising Green-Beckham is despite his inconsistency. The 2015 second-round pick had 549 receiving yards and four touchdowns in his rookie season, but had struggled through camp this summer.
“Nobody wants to please and do good for this team more than he does,” Mularkey said of Green-Beckham a week prior to the trade. “And I know that. He’s just got to find a way to come out every day and make the plays that are called his way. That’s got to be every day, and it just hasn’t been that way. I’d say [he’s] inconsistent still. It’s bad day, good day, same thing since the very first day.”
Veteran safety Michael Griffin is now on the Vikings after spending the first nine seasons of his career on the Titans. They also lost some depth on the defensive line in nose tackle Sammie Lee Hill and defensive tackle Mike Martin. Neither were major contributors last year, though.
But they got… DeMarco Murray, who never fit in with the Eagles. Murray led the NFL in rushing with 1,845 yards in 2014 but finished the 2015 campaign with just 702 yards and a career low 3.6 yards per carry. Fortunately for Titans fans, Murray has looked more like Cowboys Murray and not Eagles Murray so far in pre-season, charging for a 71-yard touchdown on one of his first carries in a Titans uniform.
Selecting tackle Jack Conklin eighth overall was a promising move. The Michigan State standout was touted as one of the best run-blocking tackles in the 2016 draft. Centre Ben Jones comes over from the Texans in an effort to bolster the o-line. The team also drafted Alabama running back Derrick Henry in the second round. Some might think this undermines the acquisition of Murray, but having two quality backs didn’t hurt teams like the Cardinals, Steelers or Bengals last year, so depth at the position is a much-needed change of pace for the Titans. Henry’s agility is impressive, as seen here when the 2015 Heisman Trophy winner marched into the end zone.
Rashad Johnson had been with the Cardinals for his entire career, but the 30-year-old safety signed a one-year deal with the Titans in March. Rookie safety Kevin Byard had an interception in his first pre-season game, so things are looking up in the Tennessee secondary.
Green-Beckham was seemingly made expendable with the acquisition of Rishard Matthews from the Dolphins and the emergence of rookie Tajae Sharpe in training camp. The Titans also signed Andre Johnson, which adds a veteran voice to a mishmash receiving corps.
Growing from within… When Kendall Wright is healthy and on his game he’s a player who has drawn some comparisons to Antonio Brown—or at least a poor man’s Antonio Brown. However, he and Justin Hunter are two Titans receivers that haven’t lived up to their potential. They’ve both shown flashes of big-play ability throughout their respective careers yet are considered disappointments considering where they were drafted (Wright 20th overall in 2012, Hunter 34th overall in 2013). Wright is better than Hunter, but they can both be useful weapons for Mariota if they can add consistency to their skill sets.
Why this team? If you like hard-nosed, run-it-down-your-throat football the Titans could be your team this year. Tennessee ranked near the bottom of the league in most offensive categories, and a revamped, run-heavy game plan is something Mularkey could lean on in 2016. If they can get Murray and Henry going, it will go a long way towards taking pressure off Mariota, which in turn will help his development.
Why not this team? Games will be won and lost at the line of scrimmage, and this is an area where the Titans will likely struggle. Jurrell Casey is a quality pass rusher, but doesn’t have much support. The Titans o-line allowed the most sacks in the NFL in 2015 and the team averaged just 92.8 yards per game on the ground—much of that came from Mariota and his scrambling ability.
How much hope? 4.9/10: If the Titans finish near the bottom of the standings again it will be disappointing because things are trending in the right direction, a stark contrast to this time last year. Still, they’re a work in progress so don’t expect a complete 180.
