What is...the Plan?!

Discussion in 'Tennessee Titans and NFL Talk' started by GLinks, Apr 30, 2007.

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  1. GLinks

    GLinks Second Gear

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    It's no doubt the draft this weekend caught us by surprise. I had a feeling leading it up to it that I wouldn't be able to predict much of anything in it, and I was right! I did think we wouldn't reach at DE in the first, despite the adamant arguments of some that we should at all costs. I sort of wondered if a safety might be considered a solution to our current secondary woes. I could see us putting off a WR until round three, but I expected us to execute a trade during the draft for a veteran WR, and I thought we would draft a change of pace back, or simply a good value, probably on day two, but surely no sooner than round three. In short, like most of you, my pasta didn't stick.

    After some thinking, trying to come to peace with this draft, these are my thoughts about The Plan and The Draft:

    I'm half-kidding when I say this first thought -- pick number one = Welcome to life as a NFL GM, Mike Reinfeldt. Reinfeldt and Fisher, both former DBs, and Reinfeldt, a former safety himself, toast glasses to defensive backs everywhere and select their favorite safety not named Laron Landry in round one. A useful pick, a possible swiss army knife of the secondary, and a toast to what is hopefully the beginning of a long and fortunate relationship.

    Now here is where I think the plan starts to emerge a bit more.

    Chris Henry, pick number two. Aside from giving us an opportunity to get a new player's jersey at a clearance price (please keep number 20 like Travis Henry), the Henry pick says to me, "We wanted Michael Turner, so when we couldn't deal with A.J. Smith and his cold feet on wedding day, we drafted a fresh guy with his measurables whose work ethic would immediately push our last 2nd round RB into reaching his potential athletically in time for the season, who could spell him and hopefully split and fill in successfully." I think this is a bold pick, but it shows a lot of confidence in the scouting department and their acumen with draft selections. They went out on a limb because they believe in this guy and also their ability to discover him. This is the kind of 2nd round pick you've come to expect from the Titans, and with Reese gone, Fisher and the scouts are the remaining constant here. This is no different than the Calico and Roos picks of recent years. We'll have to wait and see which way this one pans out.

    I may as well address the WRs collectively. Paul Williams, Chris Smith, and Joel Filani. Could anyone have guessed we'd see a retread of the Three Amigos as soon as two years removed from the last play? Not me. I did think if we went defense twice a single wideout could be selected in three. Maybe a returner late. I really don't see any returners here, but this is what I do see:

    Williams - this guy was really flying up draft boards early, but sometimes the momentum works late instead of early. Once considered a second round selection (though possibly a day two selection leading up to the draft), the Titans grabbed him in round three. Forget the crap about "doesn't want to play offense," "wants to be a corner." The Titans wouldn't waste a pick if that were the case. I think what they got here is the poor man's Dwayne Bowe. Look at the tape. Tough after the catch. Decent speed. Looks to be a willing blocker. Might be our Brandon Jones of this draft.

    Chris Smith - once a top prep school player, he tore his ACL. Nonetheless, he is a precise route runner, and perhaps the most precise they could find in this draft. A clear comparison is drawn to Derrick Mason, also selected in round four. I myself was surprised at his confidence. He said he thought he would go in round three to four. Surely none of us did. But if it is any consolation, at this point, apparently, the Titans have selected two players who were also high on the Patriots radar. Henry was in for two visits in Foxborough, and Smith was scrutinized early, before the trade for Wes Welker went down. The Patriots are lauded for their ability to find the right guy for their system, regardless of their fame or notoriety. To me, the Titans believe the same about their organization, and are looking to put the same brand on the team. I think this selection may send a message to our other WRs come training camp time: run better routes or risk not being here.

    Joel Filani - Production, production, production. Don't like what you see? Look at the stats, and the tapes. Third most productive receiver in college football last year. The gap between him and the next player must have been too high to ignore in round six. Taking a chance on a proven collegiate. We'll see if his production in the Texas Tech system translates.

    Offensive line - I may as well group both players here as well. Leroy Harris to me was a great pickup. After watching tape of this guy, I believe we selected the perfect center to succeed Kevin Mawae eventually. He is nasty on the field, as well as a dominate collegiate wrestler (I like my football players to have some martial training of some sort; I think it always benefits them on the field, both from a disciplinary and technical standpoint). He can play guard and has played, what, three or four positions along the line during his career? Good depth with an eye toward the future. Michael Otto can play tackle and guard and will battle Loper and Wand in camp for a spot. They say he compares well to Matt Light of the Patriots, and is a tackle who has the rare ability to play guard.

    Surprise. Six of ten draft picks are on offense.

    The defensive picks are not sexy, but there is that addage that stats do not tell the whole story. Fans and Titans brass alike have said the defense needed fixing. Let's look at our solutions.

    Michael Griffin - you could argue the secondary, rather than needing a fill-in and eventual partner to Adam Jones, simply needed to upgrade it's worst player in Lamont Thompson. Since 2005, I have watched us add versatility to our secondary. Now I believe we added the most versatile player we could have picked in round one. He won't patch up the return game as I might have hoped, and I don't know if he will really hold up well at corner, but I do know he will play and make plays, and that's more the view I have come to take on our secondary -- amassing a bunch of playmakers, even the depth.

    Antonio Johnson, DT -- Wow. We waited til the fifth, and picked a DT, not a DE. Well, I argued that whomever we took at DE likely wouldn't play more than LaBoy, and maybe not even a healthy Odom. We have three 2nd round DEs on the roster, the younger of whom still have about another year to prove their value. Many people have wanted us to make a FA pick up such as Ian Scott from the Bears, a guy who occupies two lineman and enables others around him to make plays. Well, here is your Scott, I say. Clearly, the Titans feel they have an eye for potential.

    Ryan Smith, CB -- I never would have expected the Titans would wait until round six to add another CB. I had so many visions of getting another bump and run, press cover corner to pair with Jones upon his eventual return, and having the most dominating CB tandem in the league. However, the University of Florida has been good to us in this department, and after passing on late-round (with issues) CB Dee Webb from UF last year, we return to the well that was good to us in 2005 when we selected Reynaldo Hill. The added plus is we snagged the SEC INT leader (8) at the same time. I've had small wonderings, did we find our Assante Samuel?

    Jacob Ford, DE -- situational pass rusher with upside. Besides Gaines Adams, he is the fastest DE out of the draft. Compares to Robert Mathis. 6'4 249 currently, he could be 6'4 260 by the end of camp with no loss of speed. I was panicking until this pick, and I know he was on many of your radar, so going with what you saw in him, now seeing it myself, I'm glad we have him. Given the choice, I think I would rather bunch pick at receiver than at defensive end anytime.

    I'll add to this equation that we picked up MLB Ryan Fowler to go along with Stephen Tulloch. Fowler was perhaps the most unsexy FA pickup in the league. I know it was for many of you, but I'm looking forward to how this signing shakes out. Like many of our other picks, he might not be a name you look for, but should be the type of player for which the Titans look.

    So, in short, I believe The Plan is this: We are going to build this offense around Vince Young, and give him and Chow the tools they need to be successful. We are going to arm and protect Vince Young, with an emphasis on the type of players we need for the system to fly and be dynamic. On defense, we have our stars, too, but we need to add the players and not the celebrities. I feel Fisher with Reinfeldt stuck to their plan of rooting out the players they want for the system and not the names we all tend to look forward to hearing. I think they want to mirror the Colts and the Patriots in these respects: as the Colts have stacked the offensive side and brought in system players for the defense, so will we do. New England has taken the same approach this offseason by surrounding Brady with enough wide receivers for two teams, and picked "their" guys to plug defensive holes. Both teams rely on the coach/GM relationship, concerning the defensive side of the ball, in order to frugally (the majority of the time) keep the machine running the way it was designed to run. Fisher has and I feel to some extent deserves the open shot to get his name mentioned with that company from a personnel standpoint, and hopefully, together, he and Reinfeldt will get to that point, and be recognized in a similar manner as Tony Dungy & Bill Polian, and Bill Belicheck & Scott Pioli, Super Bowl(s) included.

    That, in a large nutshell, I feel, is The Plan.
     
  2. KamikaZ

    KamikaZ Ex-Hall of Famer

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    Thorough and concise analysis there, G. Certainly more rationale and less panicked analysis that I've seen on here anyway. Good work.
     
  3. Gunny

    Gunny Shoutbox Fuhrer

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  4. hrudy18

    hrudy18 Camp Fodder

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    Good post. I'm starting to believe that there might actually be a "plan". If only the preseason could come a little sooner.
     
  5. Riverman

    Riverman That may be.... Tip Jar Donor

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    Nice breakdown GLinks. Appreciate the optimism. I hope the current 2-3rd years develop this off-season and really produce. Particularly Roydell Williams, Roby and Odom. Tulloch should make a significant jump.

    I agree it is not as bleak as the pundits proclaim.
     
  6. BigRed3

    BigRed3 Straight Cash, Homey

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    All I have to say is, I can't wait for training camp.
     
  7. GLinks

    GLinks Second Gear

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    Thanks, guys. I appreciate it.
     
  8. JMB54

    JMB54 Waitin on a Win!

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    Good read. It shows alot of thought went into it.
     
  9. Gunny

    Gunny Shoutbox Fuhrer

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    shoulda blogged it.
     
  10. PickledMidget

    PickledMidget Camp Fodder

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    Great thoughts. Hope that you are right.
     
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