32 Teams in 32 Days: Titans Missing Key Positions, and Maybe Playoffs, Too
Welcome to 32 teams in 32 days. To get us through the offseason, we’ll be taking a closer look at every team in the league, in order of projected 2023 win totals.
The Titans took their best shot at winning it all. But after falling in the 2019 AFC title game and then cascading down the list of contenders in the following years, first-year general manager Ran Carthon has been brought aboard to reshape the roster.
Tennessee still has running back Derrick Henry, quarterback Ryan Tannehill, defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons and safety Kevin Byard to headline the franchise, but the rest of the team has glaring questions. For starters, who is going to catch the ball? Who is going to block for Henry and Tannehill? Who is going to be the top corner?
It’s hard to see the Titans being a playoff team in the loaded AFC. But before you sell them completely, remember Mike Vrabel is 48–34 as a head coach, with three postseason appearances and two division titles. Tennessee has rarely been flashy, but it has been ruthlessly efficient and knows exactly who it is.
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Before winning back-to-back AFC South titles, the Titans had not won their division since 2008.
Andrew Nelles/The Tennessean/USA TODAY Network (left, center); Christopher Hanewinckel/USA TODAY Sports (right)
The Titans won’t be anybody’s sexy pick in the AFC South, but they command respect based on the history of the team under Vrabel.
Biggest Gamble this offseason: Not acquiring a top-end receiver
After trading A.J. Brown to the Eagles on draft night last spring, the Titans struggled to find production on the perimeter. All told, only the Ravens, Bears and Falcons had fewer receiving yards per game last year.
First-round pick Treylon Burks was limited to 10 games due to a toe injury, catching just 29 passes for 429 yards with a touchdown. The rest of the room was also underwhelming, including veteran Robert Woods and Nick Westbrook-Ikhine.
This offseason, Carthon did little to improve the situation. Woods was released and signed with the Texans, leaving Burks and Westbrook-Ikhane to log the most snaps at wideout. There’s a strong argument that Tennessee has a bottom-three receiving corps in the NFL (possibly even the worst).
If the Titans can’t throw, it’ll only make things harder on Henry, who, at 29 years old, is still great but facing his football mortality.
Toughest stretch of the season: Weeks 1 to 4
The start of the season could either bury the Titans, or give us reason to believe they’ll surpass most expectations.
Tennessee starts with Derek Carr and the Saints in their home opener at the Superdome, before returning to Nashville and hosting the talent-laden Chargers. Come Week 3, it’s a trip to Cleveland for a clash with Deshaun Watson and Co., with a date at Nissan Field against the Bengals awaiting after.
The Titans have an advantageous schedule with 10 games against the AFC and NFC South divisions, but if they don’t come out strong, they could easily be 0–4.
Breakout player to watch: TE Chigoziem Okonkwo
While there are overwhelming questions about Tennessee’s receivers, Okonkwo could be a boon for the Titans at tight end.
Drafted last year in the fourth round out of Maryland, Okonkwo caught 32 passes for 450 yards and three touchdowns. At 6'3” and 238 pounds, he’s a bit undersized, but he shows tremendous athleticism in the open field, something exemplified by his 4.52 40-time at the combine in 2022.
Okonkwo's 52 receptions in his senior year rank second-most by a tight end in a single season at Maryland.
Andrew Nelles/Tennessean.com/USA TODAY Network
Considering the dearth of options on the perimeter for Tannehill, Okonkwo might earn a litany of targets and has a real shot to lead the Titans in both catches and yardage.
Position of strength: Defensive front
The Titans’ defensive line has traditionally been strong in recent years, and it should be once again.
Simmons is one of the best defensive tackles in the league, in a class with Quinnen Williams of the Jets and Dexter Lawrence of the Giants. Last year, Simmons totaled 7.5 sacks and earned his second consecutive Pro Bowl berth. Alongside him is the versatile Denico Autry, who quietly has amassed 47.5 career sacks (eight of which came last year).
The big question is whether Harold Landry can return to form after a torn ACL sidelined him for all of last year. In 2021, Landry was a Pro Bowler with a career-best 12 sacks.
Position of weakness: Corners
This could easily be receivers, but we talked about them above. Instead, let’s focus on the defensive backfield—specifically a cornerback group that lacks both credentials and experience.
In two years, Caleb Farley has played a total of 12 games, dealing with various injuries. Kristian Fulton was a 2020 second-round pick but has also been limited, appearing in 30 games and totaling four interceptions. Of the veterans, Sean Murphy-Bunting is the more dependable, but he’s a nice piece—not a star.
Finally, there’s second-year man Roger McCreary, who played not only every game last year, but every defensive snap. He’s the hope going forward here for Tennessee, which hasn’t seen great returns on premium picks.
X-factor: The left side of the offensive line
The Titans moved on from left tackle Taylor Lewan and guard Nate Davis this offseason in an attempt to rebuild the front.
Carthon’s work doesn’t appear to be a one-year job, but he’s added intriguing options on the left side in tackle Andre Dillard and first-round guard Peter Skoronski.
Dillard did not start a single game with the Eagles in 2022, though he played in 12.
Andrew Nelles/The Tennessean/USA TODAY Network
While Tennessee was largely quiet in free agency, the Titans inked Dillard to a three-year, $29 million deal. The hope is he can regain the form which made him the Eagles’ first-round choice in 2019; however, he started only nine games in four years with Philadelphia.
As for Skoronski, he has the versatility to play any position on the line, but staying on the left side and kicking inside makes sense. If he stays at guard alongside Dillard and things go right for the Titans, that’s one less problem to consider.
Sleeper/fantasy pick: RB Tyjae Spears
Spears is behind Henry on the depth chart, but he could be a valuable handcuff. He could also make an impact if the overworked Henry misses time. Entering his age-29 season, no back has more carries in the last four years. If Henry goes down, Spears could shine. —Michael Fabiano, SI Fantasy
Best bet: Don’t fade Derrick Henry, even at age 29
He’s a unicorn that managed 1,538 yards in 16 games coming off an injury last season. With a rushing total set at only 1150.5, I’m willing to bet 2023 Henry is at least 80% of 2022 Henry with few other offensive threats in Tennessee. —Jennifer Piacenti, SI Betting
Final record: 5–12, second in AFC South
