Tennessee Titans quarterback Marcus Mariota (8) is chased by New England Patriots defensive lineman Lawerence Guy (93) as he scrambles in the first quarter of the AFC Divisional round playoff game on January 13 at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts. Photo by Matthew Healey/UPI |
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With the Tennessee Titans making a switch from Mike Mularkey to Mike Vrabel as head coach, and the offense getting a promised makeover, it is a little harder to gauge exactly who the club considers valuable in free agency.
Defensively, the Titans won't make as many changes, but some upgrades will happen as the club needs to get younger in some spots.
The Titans kept their most valuable potential free agent in the fold by re-signing kicker Ryan Succop to a five-year, $20 million deal on Feb. 20.
Beyond that, the most likely player the Titans might want to keep is defensive tackle DaQuan Jones, whose season ended a month early with a torn biceps. Linebacker Avery Williamson and guard Josh Kline are also starters who are set to become unrestricted free agents, but the Titans are not likely to overpay to keep either of them. Starting left guard Quinton Spain is a restricted free agent and could be back at a lower tender.
Beyond that, the Titans' other UFAs are aging role players -- some of whom did well in 2017, but would only be back in a team-friendly deal. Those include wide receiver Eric Decker, linebacker Erik Walden and cornerback Brice McCain.
Unit-by-unit depth chart as of Super Bowl LII. Injured players listed as starters if that was their status when injured.
*Asterisk indicates player ended 2017 season on injured reserve.
QUARTERBACKS (C): Starter - Marcus Mariota. Backups - Matt Cassel, Brandon Weeden (UFA), *Alex Tanney.
RUNNING BACKS (C): Starter -- Derrick Henry. Backups - DeMarco Murray, David Fluellen, Khalfani Muhammad.
TIGHT ENDS (B-plus): Starters -- Delanie Walker, Jonnu Smith. Backups - Phillip Supernaw, Luke Stocker.
WIDE RECEIVERS (D): Starters -- Rishard Matthews, Corey Davis. Backups -- Eric Decker (UFA), Taywan Taylor, Harry Douglas (UFA), Eric Weems (UFA), *Tajae Sharpe.
OFFENSIVE LINEMEN (C-minus): Starters -- LT Taylor Lewan, LG Quinton Spain, C Ben Jones, RG Josh Kline (UFA), RT Jack Conklin. Backups -- G/C Brian Schwenke (UFA), T Dennis Kelly, C/G Corey Levin.
DEFENSIVE LINEMEN (A): Starters -- LDE *DaQuan Jones (UFA), NT Sylvester Williams, RDE Jurrell Casey. Backups - DE Austin Johnson, DE Karl Klug, DE David King.
LINEBACKERS (B): Starters -- LOLB Derrick Morgan, LILB Wesley Woodyard, RILB Avery Williamson (UFA), ROLB Brian Orakpo. Backups - OLB Erik Walden (UFA), ILB Jayon Brown, OLB Kevin Dodd, ILB Nate Palmer, OLB *Aaron Wallace, ILB Daren Bates, OLB Josh Carraway, OLB *Victor Ochi.
DEFENSIVE BACKS (B): Starters -- LCB Adoree' Jackson, RCB Logan Ryan, SS Johnathan Cyprien, FS Kevin Byard. Backups -- S Da'Norris Searcy, CB Tye Smith, CB Kalan Reed, CB Brice McCain (UFA), CB *LeShaun Sims, S Curtis Riley, S Brynden Trawick.
SPECIAL TEAMS (B): K Ryan Succop, P Brett Kern, KOR/PR Adoree' Jackson, LS Beau Brinkley.