Tennessee Titans: 3 Roster Needs the Titans Still Have to Fill
The Tennessee Titans made a handful of notable moves during free agency, but there's still work to be done. Three positions, in particular, could use an upgrade before the 2022 season begins. 1. Wide Receiver The Titans needed a wide receiver before they released Julio Jones. Swapping Jones for Robert Woods, which is essentially what […]
The Tennessee Titans made a handful of notable moves during free agency, but there's still work to be done.
Three positions, in particular, could use an upgrade before the 2022 season begins.
1. Wide Receiver
The Titans needed a wide receiver before they released Julio Jones. Swapping Jones for Robert Woods, which is essentially what the Titans did, doesn't change that.
If the season were to begin now, Nick Westbrook-Ikhine would be the Titans' No. 3 receiver.
While Westbrook-Ikhine has value and he helped Tennessee win games in 2021, he is not good enough for the Titans to be able to rely on him at that spot.
When the 2022 NFL Draft rolls around in April, the Titans need to be aggressive and find another wide receiver⏤perhaps even two⏤to help out Ryan Tannehill alongside Woods and A.J. Brown.
Tennessee wants to make life easier for Tannehill in 2022, and they won't meet that objective if Westbrook-Ikhine is his third-best option out wide.
2. Tight End
Tennessee's trio of primary tight ends in 2021⏤Geoff Swaim, Anthony Firkser and MyCole Pruitt⏤was vastly underwhelming.
Things should be better in 2022, as the Titans signed veteran Austin Hooper to a one-year deal in free agency.
Hooper is a tremendous improvement over what the Titans had last year, and he's proven to be a capable pass-catching threat over the middle.
The Titans still need to get better at tight end, though.
Besides Hooper, the Titans' current group of tight ends includes Swaim, Tommy Hudson and Briley Moore.
As a run-first team that traditionally uses a boatload of two-TE sets, that trio isn't going to get the job done behind Hooper.
Tennessee should pick a young TE to develop in the middle of the draft, preferably in round three or four.
3. Offensive Line
Three of the Titans' five offensive line spots are set in stone.
Taylor Lewan will be their left tackle, Ben Jones will be their center and Nate Davis will be their right guard.
Second-year player Dillon Radunz figures to slide into one of the remaining spots, likely right tackle.
That leaves left guard up for grabs, and the best candidate the Titans currently have for that spot is free-agency signee Jamarco Jones.
Head coach Mike Vrabel said during NFL Owners Meetings that Jones would get a chance to compete at left guard, and that's certainly the right call.
Who will he be competing against, though? Aaron Brewer?
While Jones should get a chance to compete, Tennessee needs to improve his competition. That could do that by drafting an interior offensive lineman on the second day of the draft or in the third round.
- Brown image: Christopher Hanewinckel/USA Today
- Robinson image: Kirby Lee/USA Today
