Position primer 2013 - Other (K/P/FB)

Discussion in 'Tennessee Titans and NFL Talk' started by Carpy, Jan 11, 2013.

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  1. Carpy

    Carpy Disgruntled foreign veteran

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    2013 Cap hit for all Other – $0.822m (0.7% of team spend)

    Players under contract:
    Brett Kern (6,6”, 365) – 26 years old
    2013 Cap Number - $1.353m ($0.821m salary + $0.532m SB pro-rata)
    2014 Cap Number - $1.469m ($0.937m salary + $0.532m SB pro-rata)
    2015 Cap Number - UFA

    Expired Contracts
    Rob Bironas
    Quinn Johnson
    Colin Mooney

    3 burning questions

    1. Has Bironas played his last game as a Titan?
    Quite possibly, although don’t be surprised if we use the Franchise Tag to keep him. Bironas’ cap hit in 2012 was almost $3.7m. If we don’t use the franchise tag on Cook, then using it on Bironas will mean he is likely to cost us around $2.7m for 2013. The success of rookie kickers this year (Legatron, Walsh, Forbath etc) may encourage other teams to go down that path. However at 34 years of age, I would be somewhat surprised if the Titans offered Bironas another big money long-term deal.

    2. Are Mooney or Quinn likely to be back?
    This really depends on the offense we end up running next season, and also in some respects on what happens with Cook. If Cook comes back, we are less likely to chase a big name FB in my view as we would rely on more 2 and 3 TE sets with our depth at TE. Neither of these guys has a walk up start and I think our starting FB will be a training camp battle between a number of guys making vet minimum.

    3. Is Kern in any danger?
    Absolutely zero. His punting average this year (in both net and gross terms) was the best of his career and he has gone 4 years as a Titan without having a punt returned for a TD, so he is getting good hangtime as well. Hopefully he doesn’t have to punt anywhere near as much next season, but he is the least of our concerns.

    Free Agency:
    A few options at kicker if we decide to part ways with Bironas. However the list also reads like an admittance line-up for a retirement home.
    Mike Nugent
    Phil Dawson
    Jason Hanson
    Shayne Graham
    Nick Folk
    Nate Kaeding
    Steve Hauschka

    At Fullback there are some good options, depending on what role they have in the offense.

    Lousaka Polite
    Corey McIntyre
    Brian Leonard
    James Casey (H-Back)
    Greg Jones
    Jerome Felton
    Lex Hilliard

    Potential Draft Targets:
    We aren’t the Jaguars, so I don’t expect to see us pick a kicker or Fullback in the first few rounds. Some guys that may be on our late-round radar.

    Kicker
    Caleb Sturgis, Florida
    Dustin Hopkins, Florida State
    Quinn Sharp, Oklahoma State

    Fullback
    Tommy Bohanon, Wake Forest
    Kyle Juszcyk, Harvard

    Summary
    We have previously had a lot of money (comparatively) invested in our Punter and Kicker roster spots and for the most part it has been money well spent. That said, Bironas did look shaky at times this season and is not the automatic guy he was a couple of seasons ago. He is no lock to return. Unless we get an absolutely out-of-left field OC, I see the fullback position continuing to be somewhat marginalised and not much of an investment made there.

    My take
    I’m already on record as saying I think we should franchise Cook, which means we won’t be able to tag Bironas. I think the Titans will offer him a decent contract in the 2-3 year range, but may well lose him to someone willing to pay more. Drafting a kicker late to compete in camp with one of the crusty veterans is the path I can see them going. Kern will be back and I think we will bring Mooney and Johnson back to training camp to compete for a roster spot next season.
     
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  2. Gunny

    Gunny Shoutbox Fuhrer

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    Can't see Bironas going, also can't see Phil Dawson going anywhere, guy will die a Brown.
     
  3. TitanJeff

    TitanJeff Kahuna Grande Staff

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    Bironas had a tough season by his standards which might mean his on the backside of his career. He seemed hurt at points last season so it might be injury-related.

    The Titans could do much worse. I think a lot of this depends on how interested other teams are in Bironas. You can bet his agent has a pretty solid idea of his value already. If they can work a reasonable deal, I think they'll try to keep him.
     
  4. xpmar9x

    xpmar9x The Real Slim Shady

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    I prefer Mooney to Quinn Johnson.
     
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  5. JCBRAVE

    JCBRAVE goTitans 2019 Survivor Champion

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    Brett Kern got huge!!

    Hell yea he's in danger, in danger of diabetes.
     
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  6. Carpy

    Carpy Disgruntled foreign veteran

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    That was obviously the in-built test to see if anyone was actually still reading these. Well done. You passed!!
     
  7. Gunny

    Gunny Shoutbox Fuhrer

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    lol, I don't read player height and weight, this isn't a dating site.
     
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