Titans season preview 2016: Predictions and analysis

Patience is said to be a virtue. By that standard, the folks in Nashville are as virtuous as the Mother Mary.

The Tennessee Titans are embarking on the second year of the Marcus Mariota experience, and while progress is being made, it will be slow in showing up. Tennessee has a potential franchise quarterback in Mariota, who shined after being the second-overall pick in 2015.

The former Oregon Ducks star and Heisman Trophy winner played in 12 games and threw for 2,818 yards with 19 touchdowns. Mariota also ran for 252 yards, showcasing an ability to escape pressure when the pocket broke down. This was a skill he needed to employ far too much, with the Titans allowing a league-high 54 sacks.

General manager Jon Robinson made a valiant effort to give Mariota some help both up front and on the perimeter. The Titans used their first-round pick to select offensive tackle Jack Conklin, who now pairs with fellow first-round pick Taylor Lewan as bulked-up bookends. If Conklin lives up to his hype as a mauler, the Titans have solved the problem or edge pressure.

The interior is a bigger issue. Tennessee has Jeremiah Poutasi and Chance Warmack starting at guard, both of whom have failed to develop. Warmack was considered a can’t-miss coming out of Alabama, but has not lived up to his billing since being taken 10th-overall in the 2013 NFL Draft.

Robinson did provide some more weapons by trading for disgruntled running back DeMarco Murray, drafting counterpart Derrick Henry, and signing receiver Rishard Matthews. Murray was signed to a five-year deal last offseason by the Philadelphia Eagles, but the move proved horrific; Murray only carried 193 times for 702 yards, one season removed from leading the league with 1,845 rushing yards as a member of the Dallas Cowboys.

Still, even if all these moves pan out, Tennessee is short on game-changing talent. Delanie Walker is a top-tier tight end, but none of the other starters would be considered on that level of their respective positions.

Outside of Mariota’s growth, the other road sign for the future is the job done by Mike Mularkey. Mularkey was made the interim head coach for nine games last season following Ken Whisenhunt’s canning.  Most believed the Titans would look elsewhere to fill the position permanently, but Mularkey held on and was given a long-term deal.

In three seasons with the Jacksonville Jaguars and Buffalo Bills, Mularkey went a combined 16-32. Tennessee apparently sees something in the 54-year-old and is giving him is third and perhaps final shot.

For Titans fans, this year is about progress. A successful campaign could be Mariota throwing for 3,600 yards and 25 touchdowns while Mularkey shows an ability to develop players on both sides of the ball.

Playing in an improved AFC South and facing a hard schedule, Tennessee won’t be winning many games. Still, should Mariota and Mularkey come together and start laying the foundation, 2016 will be a banner year for this franchise.

Schedule

Week 1 – Minnesota Vikings
Week 2 – at Detroit Lions
Week 3 – Oakland Raiders
Week 4 – at Houston Texans
Week 5 – at Miami Dolphins
Week 6 – Cleveland Browns
Week 7 – Indianapolis Colts
Week 8 – Jacksonville Jaguars
Week 9 – at San Diego Chargers
Week 10 – Green Bay Packers
Week 11 – at Indianapolis Colts
Week 12 – at Chicago Bears
Week 13 – BYE
Week 14 – Denver Broncos
Week 15 – at Kansas City Chiefs
Week 16 – at Jacksonville Jaguars
Week 17 – Houston Texans

If there’s any easy stretch for the Titans, it’s between Weeks 6-8, with three straight games at LP Field. Tennessee needs to win a few of those games to get some momentum for what is going to be a very challenging rest of the season.

The Titans could very well go without a win post-bye week, a stretch that features trips to Kansas City and Jacksonville and  home dates against the Broncos and Texans. Tennessee isn’t built to take on the contenders yet, but perhaps they can steal one game in that grouping.

Draft class

Round 1 (8) – Jack Conklin, OT, Michigan State
Round 2 (33) – Kevin Dodd, DE, Clemson
Round 2 (43) – Austin Johnson, NT, Penn State
Round 2 (45) – Derrick Henry, RB, Alabama
Round 3 (64) – Kevin Byard, S, Middle Tennessee State
Round 5 (140) – Tajae Sharpe, WR, Massachusetts
Round 5 (157) – LeShaun Sims, CB, Southern Utah
Round 6 (193) – Sebastian Tretola, OG, Arkansas
Round 7 (222) – Aaron Wallace, OLB, UCLA
Round 7 (253) – Kalan Reed, CB, Southern Miss

Webster did a nice job here, adding talent on both sides of the ball. Wisely, Webster went with help in the trenches early, nabbing Conklin on the first night before stealing Dodd in the early portion of the second round.

The one pick that leaves some consternation is Henry. Henry was given 395 carries in his junior season at Alabama before declaring for the NFL Draft. It’s not likely Henry has a long career, and after acquiring Murray, what’s the point in risking a second-round pick on him?

Offseason moves

Acquired

DeMarco Murray (Trade with PHI)
Rishard Matthews, WR (3 years, $15 million)
Andre Johnson, WR (2 years, $3.7 million)

Lost

Dorial Green-Beckham, WR (Trade with PHI)

X-Factor

Tennessee needs Murray to become a feature back again. Following a terrible one-year stint with the Eagles, Murray is coming to a young team without a ton of weapons to take the pressure off him. In other words, the Titans must run the ball early and often to take pressure off Mariota.

If Tennessee can get 1,500 rushing yards out of the Henry and Murray tandem, it could be better than some think. The Titans can then use some play-action passes to buy Mariota time and space, something he didn’t have much of last year.

Bottom Line

Tennessee isn’t going to make the postseason in 2016, but moving itself out of the top five in the 2017 NFL Draft order is a good goal. The Titans have some young player to build around and their maturation should be the primary goal this season.

The other huge question is whether Mularkey is the right man for the job. Tennessee was criticized for not getting a trendy coordinator or a known quantity, instead settling on Mularkey, who coached three pedestrian years for the Bills and Jaguars. If he proves the doubters wrong, the Titans are in business.