Tennessee Titans sign OG Deuce Lutui
The Tennessee Titans today reportedly signed guard Deuce Lutui to a one-year deal. Lutui worked out for the Titans last week but the Titans waited until after Week 1 to sign them, likely because they can now cut him with no further obligation to pay his salary.
A second-round pick out of USC in 2006, Lutui spent the first six seasons of his career with the Arizona Cardinals, starting all 63 games he played in from 2007-10. He lost his starting job to Rex Hadnot last year, though. His old college coach Pete Carroll signed him in Seattle this offseason and he played against the Titans during the preseason, but did not make the team. Listed on his NFL.com player page at 6'4, 338 pounds, Lutui has struggled with his weight throughout his career and generally not played particularly well. If he's playing much, the Titans are probably in trouble unless he's made heretofore unobserved dramatic improvements.
In the past, including last season, the Titans have kept two backup interior offensive linemen and two backup tackles. This year, though, the Week 1 roster had three backup tackles and only one backup interior lineman. Lutui's addition gives them the extra body they normally carry. With Kenny Britt coming off his suspension this week, the Titans will need to make two roster moves to create room for him and Lutui. I expect one of them to be Troy Kropog, who likely owes his roster spot to Mike Otto's injury, and am not sure where the other roster spot comes from.
This is just a backup signing. I honestly hope they get away from C.J. entirely. That's way too much money tied up in a guy is hit and miss (and mostly miss lately). Put the money in the line, not the running back. They're a dime a dozen. The Patriots Ridley ran all over us and who is he?
Although I initially liked the Munchak hire and still agree with his overall philosophy of coaching, I am beginning to wonder if he is too close to the o-line to make the proper changes. Also, would he fire his best friend if he's not competent to coach the O-line? Would he cut Kevin Matthews? I'm starting to hear some Fisher-speak in some of his explanations and I don't like that at all.
Good move. Something has to give here. Lutui isn't a major upgrade, but he can't be any worse than Harris and is probably better. At this point, with the run game in tatters, a change has to be made. The O-Line just doesn't seem to be built for the type of rushing scheme that the Titans are running. I think the same thing is true of CJ. He just doesn't seem to fit into the one-cut, zone scheme that Palmer is trying to run now. He hesitates too much and doesn't have the strength to run anyone over. In my opinion, the Titans need to change their approach to the run game. They need to go back to the power run game and make some holes for CJ (or whoever else) to run through. Or try to pick up a get a power back with short area quickness that can hit the whole.
