The offseason is a time for players to get a break from popping the pads, get away from the daily game prep, and enjoy a little relaxation until it’s time to do it all over again come July. But just because the players are getting a well deserved rest, doesn’t mean the show stops.
Sure, you might shed a couple tears knowing that the NFL season truly won’t be back until September, but don’t you worry, the offseasons for the NFL these days are nothing short of dramatic.
It’s truly an era of offseasons that we, as fans of this beautiful game, haven’t seen a lot during the last 15 or so years. If you remember the old times, we were used to NFL offseasons being somewhat normal. During those times, the kingpin of offseason NFL news was none other than the draft, with free agency coming in at close, maybe distant 2nd.
But over the years, free agency and the draft have combined for one big offseason bonanza. Stars are getting shipped off, mega contracts are getting signed, and the players we once thought were elite, are being cut during the supposed prime of their careers.
It’s been absolute madness, madness that can make your head spin if you’re not careful, but despite the risk for bombshell overload, I’m sure we wouldn’t have it any other way.
As for the Titans, they’ve created a little madness of their own. Ryan Tannehill received $62M guaranteed from the team, star defensive lineman Jurrell Casey was traded to shed salary, and Derrick Henry hasn’t received the big deal he hoped for.
But they’re not done as of yet, with Jadeveon Clowney still on the market, as well as Logan Ryan, the Titans are poised to make a couple potential free agency moves leading up to the draft.
While we wait to see if Jon Robinson has any more big moves up his sleeve, let’s take a look at some offseason observations from the Titans, that I’ve set my own two eyes on.
1. Jon Robinson Won’t Let The Pass Rush Stay As a Weakness
Jon Robinson has done an excellent job as general manager of this organization. He’s cleaned up the mistakes ex-GM Ruston Webster made, and he’s inserted his own identity into this football team, whether that’s on the field or through the front office. But if there’s been one mistake he’s made over his 4 years as an official roster building extraordinaire, its been the lack of piecing together a consistent pass rush.
That painfully average pass rush was on full display in the AFC Championship game, in which the Titans failed to keep pressure on Patrick Mahomes throughout the game, ultimately leading to the Titans falling a game short of playing for a Super Bowl title.
However, there was a time when the Titans had 2 reliable pass rushers on both sides of the EDGE.
Brian Orakpo and Derrick Morgan combined for 19.5 sacks in 2016, adding in Jurrell Casey, and that Titans pass rush was respectable at the least. But since then, there hasn’t been a singular pass rusher that’s found consistent success from the EDGE. It’s not just the sack production that the Titans haven’t found a lot of consistent success in either. In both 2018 and 2019, the Titans have found their selves 19th and 25th in pressure percentage(sacks, QB knockdowns, and QB hurries per dropback), respectively.
Harold Landry has been the only pass rusher to put up respectable numbers over the last 2 seasons, with 58 combined pressures over the first 2 years of his career.
Bottom line, the Titans need more from their pass rushers if they want to truly go as far as they want to go, and it seems Jon Robinson has realized that as well.
Vic Beasley has already been signed to a deal to bolster the pass rush, with Jadeveon Clowney potentially joining the fold as well.
If the Titans can get better production from the EDGE, along with some improved play in their secondary, this defense can make a lot of noise this upcoming year.
2. The Titans Believe Jeffery Simmons Is Ready For a Larger Role
Jeffery Simmons is about ready to truly showcase his play to the NFL world.
With Jurrell Casey now in Denver, Simmons is primed to start alongside DaQuan Jones, and wreak havoc in Mike Vrabel’s defense. This was a move that had to be in mind when Simmons was taken with the 19th overall pick in last year’s draft. Simmons is now getting the opportunity to focus a lot more on improving his craft this offseason, rather than putting all his attention towards rehabilitation leading up to his delayed rookie campaign.
Simmons now headlines a defensive line group, that’s mix of youth of youth, experience, and athleticism. Simmons, being the most talented defensive lineman in that group, will be tasked with making a lot of plays this upcoming year, a task Titans head coach Mike Vrabel, thinks isn’t too tall for the ex-Mississippi State product.
“That’s obviously a transition we hope, and that would be the plan, to be able to expand Jeffery (Simmons)’s role moving into his second year.” Vrabel said.
If it weren’t for a torn ACL during the pre-draft process last offseason, Simmons would’ve likely been drafted inside the top 10. It might’ve came a little earlier than expected, but it’s now time for Simmons to fully display the talents that made him receive so much praise heading into the 2019 NFL Draft.
3. A Familiar Face Could Back Up Ryan Tannehill In 2020
Now that Ryan Tannehill is firmly cemented as the Titans’ starter, attention can now turn towards his backup.
Right now, Logan Woodside in entrenched as Tannehill’s backup, as he’s the only other quarterback on the roster, but that’ll soon change. The Titans will look to find competition for Woodside, probably in the form of a veteran. But Woodside has a hand up already in the soon to be backup competition, the confidence head coach Mike Vrabel has in him.
” But his grasp, and watched him prepare while he was on injured reserve last year, watched him prepare mentally and was very impressed with that, which is something that for a young player you have concern about sometimes.” Vrabel said. “Can he stay engaged? But this is a player that was rehabbing while he was on injured reserve, stayed locked in, stayed focused in the meetings and was ready on the gameplan. Pat (O’Hara) would meet with him at the end of the week like he was going to play a football game, which I thought was great.”
Woodside impressed during his time in the preseason last season, throwing for 539 yards and 4 touchdowns, showing a lot of improvement compared to his previous couple stops in the league.
The backup job isn’t in Woodside’s hands just yet, but his familiarity with Arthur Smith’s system, and the play from last preseason, gives him a nice advantage towards securing a role on this football team in 2020.
4. Titans Are Taking a Gamble On Dennis Kelly Starting at Right Tackle
Due to Jack Conklin’s departure, the Titans were suddenly faced with a hole at right tackle. But that hole was quickly filled, with the Titans resigning Dennis Kelly to a new 3 year deal.
Kelly has primarily been the Titans’ swing tackle ever since he came to Nashville in 2016, although he’s started when he’s been needed to, specifically during Jack Conklin’s 4 game absence due to injury in 2017, and while Taylor Lewan was serving a 4 game suspension last season for testing for a banned substance.
But while Kelly does have some experience starting, it’s fine to have some concerns about Kelly’s ability to hold up on the right side. But despite those concerns, Jon Robinson has a lot of faith in Kelly being able to hold up at right tackle.
“We’ve won games with him in there, and feel confident about him starting at right tackle for us.”
Kelly’s best time as a starter came when he was playing as a fill in right tackle, but this is a totally different ball game with Kelly *expected* to be the Titans’ starting right tackle come September.
It’ll be interesting to watch, but I believe it’s safe to say he’ll be just fine.
5. The Locker Room Isn’t a Concern
The Titans have made the turnaround from league bottom feeder to contender, due to the improved roster and play at critical positions on both sides of the ball. But the leadership of added veterans along the way, has been the underrated contributor to this newfound culture of winning.
Logan Ryan, Delanie Walker, and Wesley Woodyard have been a few of the veterans that have done their absolute best to change the culture around this organization. However, all 3 of those guys are either not returning to the Titans this season, or are still on the market, waiting to see if they’ll suit up under Mike Vrabel in 2020.
Losing that sort of leadership could cause a sudden negative change your locker room, but with the current idea of the culture still in place, it’s only natural to expect other players around the team to step up in terms of leadership.
Jon Robinson agreed, when he was asked by reporters about topic of leadership in the locker room after all this roster shuffling.
“I think we’ve got a locker room full of good guys. We’ve got leaders in the locker room. I thought Ryan (Tannehill) did a great job being a leader, Derrick (Henry) did a great job being a leader.” Robinson continued. “Both of those guys are back. Ben Jones has stepped up, he’s always been a really good leader. Jonnu Smith grew last year. Adam Humphries, he’s not the most maybe vocal guy, but in a meeting room setting he’s very attentive and extremely detailed, the guys respect him. The same thing on defense. We’ve got Kevin Byard who’s played a lot of football, Kenny Vaccaro who’s played a lot of football, Rashaan Evans took steps I think last year. I think the core of players, yeah there’s some guys that aren’t going to be in there. Those guys – this leadership thing, some guys are going to have to take on a little bit more, but we feel really good about the guys we have in the locker room being able to do that.”
If you’re worried leadership in the locker room after all the roster shuffling, those comments above should put any of those worries to rest.
Stats via ProFootballReference
Quotes via the Tennessee Titans