2014 Tennessee Titans Offseason Preview
Notable Free Agents
Cornerback - Alterraun Verner
Guard/Center - Robert Turner
Reciever - Kenny Britt
Running Back - Leon Washington
2014 Draft Picks
Round 1 Pick 11
Round 2 Pick 42
Round 4 Pick 108
Round 5 Pick 139
Round 6 Pick 170
Round 7 Pick 205
Draft Prospects: Anthony Barr Round 1, Allen Robinsons Receiver Round 2, Stanley Jean-Baptiste Safety Round 4, Michael Sam Defensive End Round Round 5, Tre Boston Saftey Round 6 , Charles Simms Running Back Round 3 or 4.
Biggest Offseason Needs
Outside Backer: The Titans need a guy that with the skill to not only get to the passer but pull their way at sea. A guy like Anthony Barr would be a good great addition to the Titans defense. Not only could he be key in quarterback but they also need help defending the run.
Cornerback: If Alterraun Verner does in fact pack his bag and skip town, the Titans will need to find a corner to replace him. Lucky for them there are other star corners available in free agency like Verner. But there is also a deep crop of young corners entering the draft this year. Tennessee could no doubt find a decent starting cornerback even in round three.
One Player Tennessee Should Target (In Free Agency)
Lamarr Houston they might not actually be interested in bringing in free agents at this position because it seems they are interested in talking Anthony Barr or Khalil Mack with their first pick in the draft. Houston however is a very tempting player because he is so versatile. With the ability to play defensive end in both the 4-3 and 3-4, Houston is perfect for the Titans since they are thinking of switching to a 3-4 but currently run the 4-3. And at 26 Houston still has his best years ahead of him. This is a good opportunity for the Titans to acquire some good young talent to improve their struggling defense.
One Player Tennessee Must Retain
Alterraun Verner This is a no doubt, hands down, don’t mess this up pay that man situation. Verner had an outstanding year earning a spot in this years pro bowl. He lead the team with five interceptions and has become the top corner on the market. Verner is no doubt the best player on this defense and not signing him back would really hurt the team. The 25 year old still has the best years of his career in front of him and has shown improvement every year after being drafted by Tennessee in round four.
Players In Need Of Extensions
Akeem Ayers a good young worker that had a really good sophomore season and counted on to bring much of the same in 2013. His numbers dropped tremendously but he’s still a good young player just trying to figure a way in this league. This is a good opportunity for the Titans to get him a little cheaper than next year when he regains form. The whole goal would be to get Ayers for a little less.
Michael Roos started all 16 games for the Titans this past season and the team isn’t in the spot where you want to lose one of their starting offensive linemen. The team has too many other needs and losing one of your starting tackles would definitely set the kid back a couple times. The veteran could also help mentor some of the young guys on the line.
Overall Offseason Outlook
The Titans are undergoing a regime change and they are also looking to retain some of their home grown talent. They have a lot of talent on their team especially Alterraun Verner who has become this years top free agent cornerback. The Corner had the best season of his career and it is priority number one to get him back long term. The Titans should be looking to acquire young talent in free agency and to make sure their young players stay in Tennessee.
On offense the team needs to find a way to stay healthy because there is a lot of talent on this side of the ball. Chris Johnson is one of the top running backs in the league and still shows bursts of being dominant. Kenny Britt who is also a free agent hasn’t developed as hoped but Kendall Wright lights it up in his second year with 90 plus catches mixed with 1000 plus yards. With Jake Locker coming back healthy the offense should be more worried about consistency and how they can utilize all of their weapons next season. Throughout free agency and the draft the goal should be to find more young talent for their defense.