2009 Tennessee Titan draft class: Year-two outlook

Written by Drexel Perry on .

As rookies, the 2009 Tennessee Titan draftees saw their share of playing time.

First-round WR Kenny Britt emerged as a valuable part of the team's passing attack. The M&M boys (CB's Jason McCourty and Ryan Mouton) were pressed into on-the-job training due to the Titans' myriad of injuries in their secondary. Unheralded 4th round LB Gerald McRath imposed his wrath against the opposition by stepping up on special teams' and playing well when given time at his natural LB position.

Let's take a look at what's in store for the '09 draft class as they embark upon year-two of their playing careers.

Do the Titans really let their best players get away?

Written by Andrew Strickert on .

I hope all of you had a safe and happy holiday weekend with your family and friends.
 
Over the years, I've heard a lot of criticism that the Titans "let their best players get away."  I was one of the loudest critics after the team let both their leading rusher and leading receiver walk in free agency after the 2006 season.
 
It turned out the Titans knew a lot more than we did when they didn't make much of an effort, if any, to keep Travis Henry and Drew Bennett. Each of them declined significantly the following year, 2007, which turned out to be Henry's final season. Bennett would play that season plus only one more game in his career.

2010 Tennessee Titans' breakout performers: The candidates

Written by Drexel Perry on .

As the long and seemingly unbearable offseason prepares to come to a grinding halt later this month, let's continue our analysis of what lies in store for the Tennessee Titans in 2010.

Today, I'll take a look at the players who could be on the cusp of a breakout performance this year. These are the guys who for one reason or another, whether it's because of injuries, inconsistency or a combination of the two factors, have failed to step up. However, as the new football-year approaches, the following list of players should get the chance to seize the moment and emerge as valuable contributors for the Titans.

My list of 2010 Tennessee Titan breakout candidates, after the jump.

Plenty of leadership and experience remains for the Titans

Written by Andrew Strickert on .

There has been a lot of talk about some of the former Titans who recently left, with much of it focusing on the loss of leadership and experience. Seven of those veteran players have combined for 81 years of NFL experience, which is indeed a lot. There is not, however, that big a void.
 
Although those seven are gone, 12 players who will be 30 or older this season are now on the roster and have a combined 99 years in the league. no comments

Who will emerge as Finny's CB sidekick?

Written by Drexel Perry on .

The battle for the Tennessee Titans' starting cornerback position opposite of Pro Bowler Cortland Finnegan has become one of the team's more interesting battles as training camp approaches.

With Nick Harper no longer wearing the two-toned blue and an injury to veteran Rod Hood that unfortunately ended his season before it even started, a motley crew of youngsters fight on as they attempt to earn the right to team up with Finnegan as the Titans' starting corners.

Here's a look at the guys competing for starting cornerback position #2.

David Thornton: Starter or ex-Titan?

Written by Andrew Strickert on .

David Thornton photo by Andrew Strickert for Total TitansAlthough he's been unable to practice since undergoing offseason shoulder surgery, David Thornton is still listed as a starter on the Titans' depth chart. That unofficial listing is due no doubt to his status as an eight-year veteran who has been the regular starter for four seasons at strongside linebacker, when healthy. Unfortunately, Thornton hasn't been healthy often enough.
 
Even before his latest setback, which began in Week 9 of last season, there was speculation that Thornton might not remain a Titan this year because of:
 
1) his age (32 in November)
2) his salary ($4.35M base this season)
3) his durability issues (only one complete season in four years with the Titans)
4) and later on, his heir apparent's (Gerald McRath) perceived readiness to become the starter

Improvement from VY: Inside the pocket, not on the move

Written by Tom Gower on .

A couple weeks ago, FO colleague Doug Farrar wrote me an email asking about what aspect of the Titans he should write about for his series on Yahoo on addressing how every team might address their biggest weakness.  The biggest weakness last year for the Titans was, in my view, pass defense.  Unfortunately, the offseason attempts to improve that, drafting Morgan, signing Witherspoon, finding a new starter at corner opposite Finnegan, and hoping Michael Griffin (a) is healthy and (b) pulls his head out of his you-know-what, aren't very interesting schematically.

The more interesting question was, if those defensive improvements don't work or have only moderate effect, how will the Titans win games?  As Andrew chronicled, CJ2k is likely to end up more like CJ1.4k, so it will have be on the strength of Vince Young throwing the football.  VY's most visible comparative strength, for NFL quarterbacks, remains his mobility, and I glommed onto plays using that, most notably the touchdown pass to Kenny Britt in the Monday night win against the Texans.  A closer look at that play, though, reveals the basic weakness of a scheme built around plays like that.