Prior to this month's draft, 1SBD's Mark Hogan takes an in-depth look into each team's current projected starters and identifies strengths and lingering team needs after the first waves of free agency.
Player stats collected from Pro Football Reference. Salary information per Over The Cap.
TAKEAWAYS
PROS
- The Titans defense gave up the third-fewest points in 2018 and eighth fewest yards. The rushing defense ranked 18th but the passing defense was sixth-best. After losing a couple of pieces - discussed below - the Titans also added a still-productive Cameron Wake at defensive end and Kenny Vaccaro to its safety room. With a couple more additions in the draft, fans should expect this defense to achieve Top 10 ranks again in 2019.
CONS
- Tennessee needs to find an offensive play-maker in the draft. Badly. The team recorded the 8th-fewest yards and 6th-fewest points in the NFL last year. Neither wide receiver Corey Davis or Adam Humphries has had a 1,000-yard season, and with that being the benchmark for top-level receivers, you can say the Titans don't have a true #1 wide out. Tight end Jonnu Smith isn't heavily involved in the passing attack while the returning Delanie Walker is aging and coming off a serious injury. The Titans seriously need to balance the passing game with the running attack if it's to present opponents with more challenges moving forward.
- Tennessee lost a pair of edge rushers this off-season -- 9-year Titan Derrick Morgan in free agency and 4-year Titan Brian Orakpo to retirement. Luckily it comes in a year with a deep pass rushing draft class, which is glaring need now. Last year's second round pick Harold Landry may fill the outside linebacker role, but defensive end Austin Johnson looks replaceable.
Projected Starters
NOTE:
NAME, Draft Round.Overall Pick (TEAM, year). Starts/Games Played. Age. Cap Hit 2019
QB has an additional 'total yards, number of attempts (yards per attempt)' figure.
RB, WR and TE have an additional ‘total yards / number of touches (yards per touch)’ statistic
Age as of Sunday September 8, 2019 (Week 1)
QUARTERBACK
MARCUS MARIOTA, 1.02 (TEN, 2015). 55/56. 12,004 yards/ 1,605 attempts. (7.5 y/a). 25-years-old. $20,922,000
RUNNING BACK
DERRICK HENRY, 2.45 (TEN, 2016). 16/47. 2,665 yards/ 540 touches (4.9). 25-years-old. $1,720,705
WIDE RECEIVER
COREY DAVIS, 1.05 (TEN, 2017). 25/27. 1,321 yards/ 105 touches (12.6). 24-years-old. $6,925,841
ADAM HUMPHRIES, undrafted (TB, 2015). 17/60. 2,364 yards/ 227 touches (10.4). 26-years-old. $5,000,000
Average: 131st overall pick. 42 starts/ 87 games played (48.3%). 3,685 yards/ 332 touches (11.1). 25-years-old. Total cap hit: $11.9M
TIGHT END
JONNU SMITH, 3.100 (TEN, 2017). 25/29. 415 yards/ 38 touches (10.9). 24-years-old. $845,572
DELANIE WALKER, 6.175 (SF, 2006). 97/176. 5,762 yards/ 499 touches (11.5). 35-years-old. $6,327,916
Average: 138th overall pick. 122 starts/ 205 games played (59.5%). 6,177 yards/ 537 touches (11.5). 29.5-years-old. Total cap hit: $7.2M
OFFENSIVE LINE
TAYLOR LEWAN, 1.11 (TEN, 2014). 68/73. 28-years-old. $16,700,000
RODGER SAFFOLD, 2.33 (LAR, 2010). 111/114. 31-years-old. $6,375,000
BEN JONES, 4.99 (HOU, 2012). 91/112. 30-years-old. $5,375,000
KEVIN PAMPHILE, 5.149 (TB, 2014). 35/56. 28-years-old. $1,396,875
JACK CONKLIN, 1.08 (TEN, 2016). 41/41. 25-years-old. $5,020,212
Average: 60th overall pick. 264 starts/ 396 games played (66.7%). 28.4 -years-old. Total cap hit: $34.9M
DEFENSIVE LINE
DAQUAN JONES, 4.112 (TEN, 2014). 61/67. 27-years-old. $7,333,333
JURRELL CASEY, 3.77 (TEN, 2011). 123/125. 29-years-old. $12,718,750
AUSTIN JOHNSON, 2.43 (TEN, 2016). 12/42. 25-years-old. $1,801,618
Average: 77th overall pick. 196 starts/ 234 games played (83.8%). 27-years-old. Total cap hit: $21.9M
LINEBACKERS
CAMERON WAKE, undrafted (MIA, 2009). 126/146. 37-years-old. $5,239,583
WESLEY WOODYARD, undrafted (DEN, 2008). 108/165. 33-years-old. $4,112,500
JAYON BROWN, 5.155 (TEN, 2017). 9/32. 24-years-old. $712,891
HAROLD LANDRY, 2.41 (TEN, 2018). 3/15. 23-years-old. $1,530,384
Average: 177th overall pick. 246 starts/ 358 games played (68.7%). 29.3-years-old. Total cap hit: $11.6M
CORNERBACK
MALCOLM BUTLER, undrafted (NE, 2014). 59/75. 29-years-old. $13,100,000
ADOREE’ JACKSON, 1.18 (TEN, 2017). 29/32. 23-years-old. $3,077,185
Average: 137th overall pick. 88 starts/ 107 games played (82.2%). 26-years-old. Total cap hit: $16.2M
SAFETY
KENNY VACCARO, 1.15 (NO, 2013). 80/81. 28-years-old. $3,156,250
KEVIN BYARD, 3.64 (TEN, 2016). 39/48. 26-years-old. $2,249,265
Average: 40th overall pick. 119 starts/ 129 games played (92.2%). 27-years-old. Total cap hit: $5.4M
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