NFL: Projecting final records for all 32 teams
By Brad Rowland
Tennessee Titans
On paper, the Titans are worse than the 7-9 team that occupied this space last season. Tennessee lost its top cornerback in Alterraun Verner without replacing him, downgraded from Chris Johnson to Bishop Sankey at running back, and took a hit at quarterback by going from Ryan Fitzpatrick to Charlie “Clipboard Jesus” Whitehurst. With that, they are banking on one thing.
Jake Locker.
Locker has dynamic talent, but he has been unable to stay healthy and productive for long stretches. This season is probably his “final exam” as a franchise quarterback, and with only Whitehurst and rookie Zach Mettenberger behind him, things go sideways if he can’t play. Sankey and Shonn Greene will be called upon to carry the rock, but even if they are substandard, the duo of Justin Hunter and Kendall Wright could be one of the more underrated pairings at the wide receiver spot.
Defensively, this could be a bottom-10 unit if things go poorly, but Derrick Morgan and company could improve and it was a solid unit despite injury woe last season. The transition from the 4-3 to the 3-4 could be a learning curve, but the personnel likely fits better in the new scheme, and that always matters.
The Titans have a wide range of outcomes, and they are basically all tied to Jake Locker. Alright, then.
The Pick: 7-9