With the 215th pick, the Titans select S Brady Breeze

Yea, that is what I was thinking. We grabbed a back end of the draft S because we want him to replace Byard. Right. Obviously these later players are for depth and STs and if one of them works out they might not even get an opportunity for regular playing time for a few years unless we have injuries. If he is lucky he might make it on some sub packages. Early hope are that he can be like Cruikshank and shine on STs.

Now if Byard was really on the hot seat we would have actually drafted a potential starting FS like we did with Rice to replace Evans. Even stranger making that statement is we are using Hooker at SS and didn't even draft a S earlier then (another player like Byard could play wither SS or FS). Thus they seem pretty set at the starting S spots unless JRob wants to go back to FA next year.

 

When the 6th round started I was hoping we would take Marvin Wilson, Trey Smith, or Jose Borregales. I'm surprised we didn't add any D-line depth and Trey Smith would have been an absolute steal in the 6th. We also could have had the best kicker in the draft after having the kicker position be an issue for 2 straight years. But nah, we got a safety that's good at special teams.

 

Byard was picked the 3rd and was one of those WHO? Type of picks. I wanted Byard to get paid and stay in Nashville, but with that money hanging over him we can't afford for him play so poorly. If he's as bad or worse next season I wouldn't be surprised to see Jrob try to get out from under that contract. Breeze is an experiment, if byards bad and Breeze is OK, breeze could be a stop gap FS. If Byard is bad and Breeze sucks Jrob will probably draft a FS.

 

Since the whole defense was poor last year, I have to go coaching on this and cut previously good players some slack.

 

Nothing to disagree with there but you missed my entire point. Obviously if Byard is worse than we expect and Brees is better than we expect it comes into play. But you don't pick a guy late in the draft expecting him to be a starter and if he is it is pure luck. Yea, it happens but if JRob is thinking of really replacing Byard he probably gets a little higher rated guy. Hooker was a 4th round pick and a S in the 3rd or 4th (like you said Byard was a 3rd round pick) makes way more sense. And by the way, JRob picked Byard because he thought he could be a starting NFL safety. He picked Byard #64 in the draft. As in he was actually a 2nd round pick where he was taken (Patriots forfeited their 1st round pick).

 

Byard was the only guy they kept in the secondary and the other 4 were sent packing.

 

I think people are overestimating this guy. I have watched him and have followed Oregon Ducks media for the last 18 months (because I am really impressed with their star DE.)

He is a high effort, low athletic ability guy, Another Damien Stafford type. Probably, at best, he is a situational SS who is strong on special teams. I do not see him at FS, ever.

Oregon divides safeties as "Boundary" and "Field" (Rather than Strong and Free, like in the NFL) which helped mask the lack of athletic ability.

 

and they gave the "not a DC" a promotion. Not sure I agree with the teams assessment on that one. I dont think our players were good necessarily, but much better than our "not a DC" was a coach.

 

Using logic and reason is not allowed here....

 

So apparently Vrabel and Jrob are 180 degrees backward in their analysis? Vrabel is too stupid to see the truth? Certainly there is blame across the board but the reality is pretty simple. We lost Clowney (Beasley never offered anything) and Brown (out best cover LB). Adoree was injured for most of the year (Borders played a bunch as did Joseph before they cut him). Fulton was also hurt.

Thus it is potentially a coaching issue but more so players having off years and having too many injuries. When you have the 4,5th CBs playing a bunch of starter snaps it isn't good.