How to fix the Titans

It all starts in the trenches. OL and DL should be our main focus.

We tried to fix the OL (Oher, Warmack, Levitre, Schwenke, Lewan) but it didn't work. 1st step is to admit the mistake and try again.

1st - re-sign Roos to play RT, release Oher

2nd - Sign Iupati to play G, Levitre can be the most expensive backup G in history

3rd - Try to find a vet C that would be an upgrade to Schwenke, if Schwenke can't improve and keep the starting spot, then make him the backup.

Lewan - Iupati - Schwenke/vet - Warmack - Roos

OL is fixed


Next is to fix the DL

1st - Drive up to Suh's house with a truck load of cash and dump it on his lawn ... Suh and Casey would be nearly impossible to stop.

2nd - Sign or draft a big NT type player

DL should be fixed.


then we add some pass rush by drafting Gregory in the 1st rd. with him rushing the passer behind Suh/Casey, he could be unstoppable.

Then to round out the D, I would sign a mid-level Vet CB to take BWW spot, and the rest would just be depth guys.

Really with 2 big FA signings, and few smaller a signings + the draft, we should be able to turn the D and OL around.

Games are won in the trenches, and with this OL, even with average playmakers on O, we should be competitive in all the games next year. The D would be much improved as well with a DL that can stop the run and some better pass rush.

We won't be SB contenders, but we will be fighting for a PO spot with these changes IMO.

 

Its early, but here is my first shot at a comprehensive offseason plan. I'm not saying these are all going to happen, but its what I wish would happen. Also not getting into CAP space/hits, etc. I'll break this up into multiple posts.

Starting with offseason cuts (and my reasoning for ones that need it).

Offense

• Andy Levitre - (3rd highest paid guard in league, sucks)
• Craig Stevens -
• Shonne Greene -
• Michael Oher -

Defense

• Michael Griffin
• Kamerion Wimbley
• Sammie Hill (not a good fit for NT)
• Bernard Pollard (no show after injury)
• Xavier Gooden (not a good 3-4 fit)

On to free agency...(assume we resign Klug and Chase Coffman to cheap deals)

Offense

• Joe Barksdale - RT - from Rams playing at a high level and will only be 26
• Ryan Matthews - RB - cheaper and better alternative to Greene
• We will definitely add a depth WR or 2

Defense

• Dan Williams - NT - Major upgrade in run D
• Devin McCourty - FS
• Brandon Flowers - CB - playing great this year in the right system. Harris Jr. & Revis are other options but will be very expensive
• Jason Worilds - OLB - (other options at OLB will be very expensive, that is, if some of the guys even hit FA)

Next up the draft.

 

Onto the draft..

A lot of people will disagree with these, but hey, this is what I'd like to see. First, off we will not be drafting a QB. We are rolling with Mett next year. Assuming we get the second pick of the draft, Id like to see us trade back with a team that wants one of the top 2 QBs, like the Jets. A trade back from the #2 pick will yield at least additional Rd2 and Rd3 picks this year, which we definitely need. Also, if we hold the second overall pick, we will also have the first pick in the second round because the Bucs don't have one. I am also assuming we trade this premium pick with a team in the mid second and pick up another 3rd.

• Rd 1 (from Jets)- Randy Gregory – OLB – Nebraska (we will take a pass rusher with our first pick this year)
• Rd 2 (from Jets) - Dorial Green-Beckham – WR – Oklahoma (as long as character concerns check out, this guy has immense talent)
• Rd 2 (from trade) - Spencer Drango – OT – Baylor (as long as he checks out medically he will push to be our starting RT, but at worst he becomes out swing tackle, which we need)
• Rd 3 - Senquez Golson – CB – Ole Miss (watched this guy play a lot this year and he is a ball-hawk. We need better CB play)
• Rd 3 (from Jets) – Tre Jackson – OG – Florida State (should immediately slide in and start at RG, with Warmack sliding over to LG)
• Rd 3 (from trade) – Eric Striker – OLB – Oklahoma (another pass rusher with immense speed, will be a back-up until he can gain more strength)
• Rd 4 – Preston Smith - DE – Miss. State (5 technique DE who should be a solid contributor)
• Rd 5 – AJ Johnson – ILB – TN (hopefully we can hit on SEC magic 2 years in a row on late round LBs)
• Rd 6 – Developmental WR (depth needed)
• Rd 6 (from Patriots) – Developmental SS (depth needed)

Our FA acquisitions, along with these picks should help solidify lines and pass rush. We roll with Mett in 2015 and see if he can be the guy, otherwise 2016 will be the year of the QB.

Ok now you can tear my plan apart.

 

@Just Win Baby (Didn't want to qoute your whole post

A.J Johnson you realize he is suspended and is involved in a rape investigation right?

Drango his back is a red flag and we already have problems with keeping T's healthy.

Erik Stricker is way undersized at 6'0 and 220 would really need to bulk up to play OLB in the NFL.

Golson is a good cover corner still at 5'9 is very undersize could turn out to be a good nickelback. We need to look at big strong corners to press receivers at the LOS.

Green-Beckham is probably staying at Oklahoma after sitting out this year from football. If he gets his head straight than maybe he's worth a 2nd round pick but already accumulated a lot of red flags.

 

My perspective has less major moves than some. I am of the approach that your only as strong as your weakest link. I feel we have some players that are better than what they show because of weak players around them.

My cuts: Oher, Greene, Wimbley, Pollard, Wood and Hill

FA: Dan Williams, Randall Cobb, some RT, Orakpo and D. McCourty

I don't know about many draft players yet, but I do like OLB Bud Dupree from Kentucky a lot. He will go 8-15. A trade back to him and ick up an extra 2 and 3 would be huge. We would still need depth at S (for when Griffin is gone), WR, CB, and Oline with those picks. I see the Titans 2 years away from really competing in the division. This is a good start.

 

Wow, just watchged the FSU/Florida game. 3 INT's in the first QUARTER? And they didn't come back on his throwing. They got a pick 6 by their defense and a few more turnovers by their D and a strong ground game. Before Winston threw his 4th INT!!!

He will look like Geno Smith on our team with no time to throw, wr's who aren't getting open and no defense to bail him out when he makes terrible decisions. 1 of his pick was a poor throw. Three of them were bad decisions! And one of em he threw from his own endzone!

His TEAM is coming back in the second half. He's not carrying them...he's just not getting in the way.

Clutch will get you nowhere when you throw 3 picks in the first half. In the NFL...you lost already unless you have an amazing D...and we don't! Winston on houston would probably work well as he'd have an excellent D and running game to lean on. We don't have that for him.

 

Can you please elaborate on where you found this info?

 

Why cut Stevens and Oher. I think before the season ends they should try Oher at LG. If he can't play well there...cut him. But he may be better as a OG than as an OT.

Why cut SLH? He's a solid NT. He's not a difference maker but he's big and decent. At worst he's a very solid backup. If Jones can play there fine, but he's not super expensive and hardly a 'problem.' Pollard is the best S on the roster at the moment. We won't know how he looks coming off the injury but not much reason to cut him outright and create a hole for no reason.

Why is Ryan Matthews a cheaper alternative to Shonn Greene and why would he want to come here? Why would WE want to sign him? Williams is an upgrade at NT but if our LB play doesn't improve a lot you wont notice the difference. Chiefs have an excellent LB corp...we don't. Flowers is gonna be BIG money...not Revis money but big. Without a pass rush...? He's also 5'9. Why do you want Worilds? I think he's a realistic sign for us but he's not exactly a dominant pass rusher. He has 4.5 sacks this year and had a career best of 8 last season with a pass rusher opposite him. May be a little better than Morgan, but we need a LOT better IMO.

 

I don't love Gregory. I've watched him closely for 3 games and I don't see a surefire top 5 pick. He's what the Kiper and McShay's think is a safe pick.

DGB is a first round talent with MAJOR baggage. If his baggage isn't an issue he goes in rnd 1. If it is, I don't want him. He may not come out.

Drango gets a lot of comparisons to Zach Martin of the Cowboys. When Martin came out, the thinking was he could be a solit OT but might be a GREAT OG. The Boys are playing him at OG and reaping the benefit. He's short to be a LT so looks like RT or OG. Again, his medical is a big red flag that would have to be checked out. I'm curious why you like him over the other OT prospects there?

I LOVE Golson! If we go CB in the middle of the draft he is one of the players I really want. He can play man, knows how to play the deep third and is a ball hawk. Heis left on an island a shocking amount for a Nickel and his zillion INT's attest to what he's done with the challenge!

We won't be taking striker for OLB. Maybe he can play SS? He's way too short to be a pass rushing OLB in a 3-4. He's a great player but unless he goes to Will in a 4-3 or goes to S, he gets the dreaded tweener label. Will be better pass rushers in rnd 3 for OLB than Striker.

Preston Smith reminds me of Derrick Morgan. He's a bit too big and doesn't have enough pass rush to be what you want at 3-4 olb and little coverage skills. He's also a bit small to play at DE unless he was like Klug (an undersized quick pass rusher) but he's not. Another tweener.

AJ Johnson. You have character flags on DGB, medical on Drango, a couple of tweeners in Striker and Smith and now another character on Johnson? This is a risky draft....

Of course, the flip side of risk is you can get a Super star player at a bargain if everything turns out OK. But I think we need to stay away from risk as we've had enough busts with character and medical flags.

 

So you wanna keep Levitre and Griffin...two highly overpaid players with Levitre being a below avg player and Griff playing avg now but paid like a Pro Bowler? How do you change the culture into one of accountability if you pay people top dollar to be avg...or worse!!! Why cut Pollard, Wood and Hill?

I like Dupree but until I see him at Senior Bowl practices, I'll wait on placing him in rnd 1.