NFL Team Reviews: Tennessee Titans
Improvements: Tight End
The Titans’ offense has heavily leaned on the run game over the last few years, allowing them to thrive through play-action, featuring their tight ends heavily. In 2020, top tight ends Jonnu Smith and Anthony Firkser combined for 80 receptions. In the last offseason, Smith left in free agency. In 2021, the combined receptions between the top two tight ends dropped to 65.
Fisker started one game last season and has left via free agency. The Titans signed Austin Hooper, who should make an immediate impact. The two-time Pro Bowler has seen his stats decrease during the previous two seasons due to a lack of targets in Cleveland. Now, as a main receiving target on the Titans, Hooper should return to Pro-Bowl form.
Stayed the Same: Defense
Last season a big part of the Titans’ success was on defense. The team allowed an average of 20.8 points per game, sixth-lowest in the NFL, with a big focus on stopping the run, allowing the second-fewest rushing yards in the NFL. The playoff loss against the Cincinnati Bengals had nothing to do with the defense as it held a great offense to19 points while accumulating nine sacks.
Losing Rashaan Evans in free agency will sting, but re-signing sack leader and first-time Pro Bowler Harold Landry needed to be prioritized. Just about every other critical piece on the Titans will be returning.
Got Worse: Wide Receiver
After not being on the same page in contract negotiations with A.J. Brown, the Titans decided to trade him on draft night. Brown struggled to stay healthy and had a down year in his third season in the NFL. After two seasons of more than 1,000 yards, he did not reach that number in his third season. However, Brown was becoming one of the best wide receivers in the NFL and was an essential part of the Titans’ offense He was dominant toward the end of the season after returning.
Some clips of Titans WR Robert Woods, who continues to impress in his recovery from ACL injury last November: pic.twitter.com/njvLm3tFHs
— John Glennon (@glennonsports) June 7, 2022
The Titans used the first-round draft pick they received for Brown to draft his replacement in Treylon Burks. They also traded for Robert Woods, who is coming off an ACL injury at age 30 but has been a proven weapon for the Los Angeles Rams.
Grade: C+
Outside of the Brown trade, the Titans had a pretty typical offseason, improving in places they needed to and keeping an outstanding defense intact. However, trading Brown and replacing him with two question marks is a big risk for a team that seems Super Bowl ready.
Schedule:
- Week 1: 9/11 vs Giants 4:25 p.m., Fox
- Week 2: 9/19 at Bills (Monday), 7:15 p.m., ESPN
- Week 3: 9/25 vs Raiders, 1 p.m., Fox
- Week 4: 10/2 at Colts, 1 p.m., Fox
- Week 5: 10/9 at Commanders, 1 p.m., CBS
- Week 6: BYE
- Week 7: 10/23 vs Colts, 1 p.m., CBS
- Week 8: 10/30 at Texans, 4:05 p.m., CBS
- Week 9: 11/6 at Chiefs, 8:20 p.m., NBC
- Week 10: 11/13 vs Broncos, 1 p.m., CBS
- Week 11: 11/17 at Packers (Thursday), 8:15 p.m., Prime Video
- Week 12: 11/27 vs Bengals, 1 p.m., CBS
- Week 13: 12/4 at Eagles, 1 p.m., Fox
- Week 14: 12/11 vs Jaguars, 1 p.m., CBS
- Week 15: 12/18 at Chargers, 4:25 p.m., CBS
- Week 16: 12/24 vs Texans (Saturday), 1 p.m., CBS
- Week 17: 12/29 vs Cowboys (Thursday), 8:15 p.m., Prime Video
- Week 18: 1/7 or 1/8 at Jaguars, TBD, TBD
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