The season is approaching. The editorial staff of DNA of Sports invites you to take stock of the strengths and weaknesses of the 32 franchises. Today, the Tennessee Titans 2023. You can find all the presentations by clicking on this link.
With 4 consecutive losses, Tennessee ended 2022 on a downward slope. Leader of the AFC South division for most of the 2022 season, the Titans let the Jaguars go to the playoffs in the last game of the season. In 2023, the fall could continue in a season that promises to be difficult. The new general manager Ran Carthon has cleaned up the workforce, but also the staff (arrival of Tim Kelly as offensive coordinator to replace Todd Downing).
Tennessee enters 2023 with a mix of very heterogeneous players combining young talents and experience. In terms of talent and level, the gap between certain positions raises questions about the ambitions of the franchise.
Last season: 7 wins – 10 losses, 2nd in AFC South
Movements in the off-season
Notable arrivals: DeAndre Hopkins (WR), Andre Dillard (OT), Sean Murphy-Banting (CB), Azeez Al-Shaair (LB), Arden Key (EDGE), Chris Moore (WR), Daniel Brunskill (OL), Ben Niemann (LB)
Re-Signatures: Jeffery Simmons (DT), Aaron Brewer (OL), Morgan Cox (LS), Nick Westbrook-Ikhine (WR), Teair Tart (LB)
Draft: Peter Skoronski (OL), Will Levis (QB), Tyjae Spears (RB), Josh Whyle (TE), Jaelyn Duncan (OT), Colton Dowell (WR)
Notable losses: Bud Dupree (OLB), Robert Woods (WR), Taylor Lewan (OT), David Long Jr. (LB), Josh Dobbs (QB), Zach Cunningham (LB), Dennis Daley (OL), Ben Jones ( OL), Andrew Adams (S), Austin Hooper (TE), Nate Davis (OL), Mario Edwards Jr. (DT), DeMarcus Walker (DT)
Nearly half of the workforce has been renewed. Some experienced players walked out. Others left because of injury issues (Dupree, Woods, Lewan) or underperforming against an overpriced contract (Cunningham, Jones). Some simply preferred to try the adventure elsewhere (Long, Davis, Hooper).
In the direction of arrivals, a number 1 receiver has (finally) arrived with DeAndre Hopkins. Before that, the period of free agency was fixed on players looking for revenge (Dillard, Murphy-Banting, Key, Al-Shaair). The case of the former Eagles tackle may seem surprising. Very little used in his former team, and average in his performance, the Titans nevertheless gave him a contract at 10 million dollars per year over 3 years.
For his first Draft, Ran Carthon made a strong decision. By going to get Will Levis, he probably means the premature end of the adventure for Malik Willis, drafted in 2022. The former Kentucky quarterback should be Ryan Tannehill’s understudy. Will he manage to take his place during the season, or take the same trajectory as the former Liberty?
The strong points)
Derrick Henry who remains the star and the main threat in attack on the side of the Titans. Whatever the line behind him, he finds a way to move his team forward. When Henry was on the flank, Hassan Haskins showed some interesting things. Another young player arrives via the Draft to give variety to this ground game: Tyjae Spears, author of an incredible season in 2022 with Tulane in the NCAA.
Around Jeffery Simmons, the defensive line does not lack quality. In 2022, it’s simple, the Titans were the best team against the run. If he is at the end of his career, Denico Autry shows that he still has the level. After a white season in 2021, Rashad Weaver has also shown good things in 2022. Teair Tart will be called upon to take on more responsibility, and seems to be in a position to take on a more important role. With the return of Harold Landry, we hope that this pass rush going to be in better shape than in 2022 (39 sacks).
The weak spots)
If the ground game is perfect on both sides of the field, it is quite the opposite in the aerial game. In 2022, Tennessee finished 30th in passing yards on offense. In defense, they were dead last in the number of yards conceded.
Prior to the arrival of DeAndre Hopkins, the Tennessee franchise’s receiving corps was perhaps among the worst in the league. AJ Brown was never replaced. Supposed to form a complementary duo with Treylon Burks, Robert Woods has been cut. Drafted last year, Burks and Kyle Philips have something to play for. As for the tight ends, it’s not much better. Chigoziem Okonkwo had a good end to the season, but he remains young. At his side, Josh Whyle is just a rookie.
At cornerback, surprisingly, only Sean Murphy-Banting came to reinforce the air defense. THE front office therefore seems to be satisfied with Kristian Fulton, Caleb Farley and Roger McCreary in addition to the former Buccaneers. If McCreary is still young, Farley is fragile (only 12 games in the NFL) and Fulton must bounce back after a difficult 2022 season. Nothing to be reassured before attacking the 2023 season.
With David Long Jr. and Zach Cunningham gone, the linebacking squad is made up of solid players. Unfortunately, Monty Rice and Azeez Al-Shahir have always shone in the shadow of a great leader. Are they going to be ready enough to take on a bigger role and be real playmakers ? Former linebacker, Mike Vrabel will have to find the right formula to make them progress.
The X factor: the offensive line
The offensive line was greatly renewed during the offseason. 4 incumbents left, and only Nicholas Petit-Frere and Aaron Brewer remained.
To build their new offensive line, the Titans preferred to bet on players looking for revenge (Dillard, Brunskill) and on young talents (Skoronski, Duncan). Nicholas Petit-Frere will be suspended for the start of the season, Dillon Radunz returns from injury. Suffice to say that it’s complicated to start with a line already turned upside down from week 1.
To replace them, Jordan Roos could be a solution, in order to shift Brunskill to the position of right tackle. But, the latter only played 5 games last year. Jaelyn Duncan must seize the opportunity to prove herself. A star rookie upon leaving high school, he did not confirm in Maryland. By drafting him in the 6th round, Tennessee could have smelled the right deal for a vacant right tackle position for the first weeks of the season.
The running game shouldn’t be hugely impacted, given the profile that Derrick Henry represents. However, password protection could do worse. In an air attack dead last in the number of yards, the strategy of the Titans for this position is not without risks. However, if the disaster scenario occurs, we are entitled to ask ourselves questions.
Player to watch: DeAndre Hopkins (WR)
Signed before the start of training camps, DeAndre Hopkins will know his 3rd team in the NFL. At 31, he begins the second part of his career. If he wants to win a Super Bowl, he has no time to lose.
If this is his goal, the choice of his team may seem surprising. When he arrives in Tennessee, he will always become this number 1 receiver, able to unblock any situation, and to be clutch at key times. In Arizona, this is what he showed, even if his appearances were rare during his last 2 seasons (19 games), due to injury or extra-sporting problems.
In Tennessee, he will find Mike Vrabel, whom he met when he was with the Texans. His goal will be to train young receivers Treylon Burks and Kyle Philips. He will surely try to redo a season at more than 1000 yards, something he has only managed once in Arizona in 3 years. By going to Tennessee, the receiver hopes to reinvigorate a career that was starting to go dangerously downhill.
For the Titans, it remains a real gamble. He can’t be the only solution to the problems already present at the club, but at least the team is giving itself a chance of being able to grab a place in the playoffs.
2023 Tennessee Titans Schedule
@Saints, Chargers, @Browns, Bengals, @Colts, Ravens, Falcons, @Steelers, @Buccaneers, @Jaguars, Panthers, Colts, @Dolphins, Texans, Seahawks, Texans, Jaguars
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In summary
The ground game with Derrick Henry is likely to be Tennessee’s main offensive weapon. The arrival of DeAndre Hopkins will not solve all the problems in the air attack because there remains an unknown factor in the equation: the level of Ryan Tannehill in 2023. In this position, the future seems vague, between maintaining Tannehill and Will Levis’ selection. Unless Malik Willis comes to create the surprise.
In an AFC South in full change of era in this position, Tennessee may have missed the turn. This could therefore be fatal for him for the next off-season, which could be placed under the definitive sign of reconstruction.
