We conclude our trip around the Tennessee Titans position by position as we approach the 2010 regular season with a look at the special teams.  As was the case with the last two positions I wrote about, it'll be a mix of continuity and change from last offseason.

The continuity starts with one of the league's best placekickers in Rob Bironas.  Bironas is coming into the second season of a four year, $12 million contract extension he signed in February 2009.  He had his third consecutive excellent season in 2009, making 27 of 32 field goals, including an impressive 5 of 6 from 50+.  The Titans ranked second in the NFL in FG/XP DVOA as measured by Football Outsiders, the third straight season they (read Bironas) has ranked in the top 5.  He should be good again in 2010.

The one downside of Bironas' 2009 season was his average kickoff distance slipped 3.0 yards, from 67.2 to 64.2.  The Titans' kickoff coverage teams were also mediocre, so the team as a whole slipped from league-average to among the worst in the NFL, and were a big part of the reason Titans' opponents had the second-best starting field position last year.  Bironas is already 32, so the Titans might have to live with that shorter kickoff distance going forward.

Certainly, we're all familiar with WR Brandon Jones. The enigmatic receiver played his first few seasons in the city of Nashville, tantalizing us with his talents while simultaneously frustrating us with his inability to produce on a consistent basis.

In 2008, his final season as a Tennessee Titan, Jones had a breakout year of sorts, notching a career-high 41 catches for 449 yards and a score. Of course, Jones chose to sign elsewhere in free agency the following year, bestowing his John Hancock on a contract with San Francisco.

Brandon's days as a 49er didn't last long, as his lack of production (only one catch in 2009) eventually led to his release earlier this week.

Lo and behold, the Titans have been mentioned as one of the teams that are interested in signing Jones.

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The next stop in our tour after the Titans position by position as we approach the 2010 regular season is one where we know the Titans will have a new starter: the cornerbacks (including the nickel back).

Fortunately, the starter they have returning is a pretty good one to build around.  Considering the shambolic state of the Titans' 2009 secondary, Cortland Finnegan had a pretty good year, tying his career high with five interceptions despite missing three games.  By Football Outsiders numbers, he also ranked 14th among cornerbacks in Success Rate, a measure of how well defenders do in terms of preventing successful plays by the offense.

The contenders for the other starting cornerback spot have some pretty big shoes to fill.  Nick Harper of course started opposite Finnegan last year and put up some pretty amazing numbers.  It's hard to throw at the same corner all the time and have success, but Titans' opponents manged it.  Harper was, by FO numbers, the league's 3rd most targeted cornerback and the 4th least successful.  On the other hand, Harper was one of the league's best corners... at run defense.  He didn't miss many tackles and consistently stopped opposing runners for little gain.  Whoever his replacement will be will almost certainly be a worse run defender and a better pass defender.

With Vince Young sitting comfortably in the catbird seat as the Tennessee Titans' starting signal-caller, there's the perception that a battle is taking place to determine the team's #2 QB.

Due to the rather significant salary of Kerry Collins, there's been talk throughout the offseason that Chris Simms could emerge as the team's primary backup to VY. Fuel was added to the fire of a possible scenario of Phil's son stepping up as the #2 with him seeing the majority of the playing time behind Young last weekend against Seattle, with Collins not seeing any action at all.

I know it's only one preseason game, but if the results of last weekend are any indication, here's to hoping Kerry Collins will remain as the team's second-string signal-caller.

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Football is finally back, folks!

The Tennessee Titans will start off their 2010 preseason the same way they ended the 2009 regular season as they travel to the Pacific Northwest to square off against the Seattle Seahawks.

Of course, the focus of last year's season-ender was to reach 8-8 and get Chris Johnson past the 2,000 yard mark; two things that were accomplished by the Titans that day. In tonight's preseason-opener, the emphasis will be placed upon getting the young guys some playing time and for the players fighting for roster spots to have their opportunity to show what they're made of.

Here are the five things that I'll be keeping my eyes on the most as the Titans battle the Seahawks Saturday night.