2014 record: 2-14
1st 2015 NFL Draft pick: No. 2 overall
Key Free Agency Acquisitions: Brian Orakpo, Perrish Cox, Da’Norris Searcy
Turnaround in 2015? No
It’s hard to see where the Tennessee Titans are going right now and the entire outlook for 2015 could hinge on the NFL Draft, which could be risky. Getting Brian Orakpo should help a mediocre defense which only had 39 sacks and 12 interceptions last season while allowing just over 27 points a game. He’ll bookend the linebackers nicely with Derrick Morgan as well.
They also needed some help in the secondary so getting Perrish Cox and Da’Norris Searcy was good as well, and neither one broke the bank. Or course, neither player is a top tier guy either, but they are both improvements.
So why no on a quick turnaround for the Titans?
Well, while the linebackers are improved by the presence of Orakpo, there’s no depth behind him and Morgan. Also, while Morgan was great against the pass, he—along with virtually the entire linebacker corps—was not very good against the run. The defensive line is also a problem, as Ropati Pitoitua was the only edge rusher worth mentioning (Mike Martin was just OK). The Titans don’t need a lot of depth with a 3-4 setup—especially with (technically) only one end and two tackles—but you still need more out of it and they haven’t acquired enough help.
Even if they go with USC’s Leonard Williams (the best defensive end in the draft), it might not be enough, though he would be a great fit for the hybrid scheme they run.
More critical is the offense.
The offensive line was a travesty last season as Michael Oher was a bust of a free agency signing and Andy Levitre underwhelmed. At least their tackles—Michael Roos and rookie Taylor Lewan—performed well. But the interior has been disappointing.
Which makes it hard to know what they have in the backfield—is Bishop Sankey good? Can Shonn Greene contribute anything? And what about quarterback?
Earlier this offseason, this team seemed ‘all-in’ on Zach Mettenberger but now they don’t sound so sure according to reporters like USA Today’s Jim Corbett.
Smokescreen for a trade back? Perhaps. But let’s be honest—even if you like Mettenberger, he’s far from perfect. The problem is, so is Marcus Mariota, who the Titans seem to like. Don’t get me wrong, I like Mariota. But he’s raw and I’m not sure how quickly he would be able to get this offense moving.
Depending on the outcome of the draft, this looks like a longer-term rebuild. That’s not a bad thing at all, as down the road this team could be very good. You’re just going to have to be patient a while longer before they get there.
Next: Tampa Bay Buccaneers