Titans can find potential WR fixes in deep free agency class
NASHVILLE — The Tennessee Titans have talent needs at every position except for punter. Wide receiver, in particular, is a group that Tennessee desperately needs an infusion of youth and top-end talent. Luckily for general manager Ran Carthon, solutions are everywhere this offseason. As teams prepare for their annual scouting combine trip to Indianapolis, discussions […]
NASHVILLE — The Tennessee Titans have talent needs at every position except for punter. Wide receiver, in particular, is a group that Tennessee desperately needs an infusion of youth and top-end talent.
Luckily for general manager Ran Carthon, solutions are everywhere this offseason.
As teams prepare for their annual scouting combine trip to Indianapolis, discussions will begin in earnest about pending free-agent players and which clubs might be most interested in their services. Both the upcoming crop of college talent and free agent class should be used to bolster the Titans wide out room. ESPN thinks that one available veteran could be a piece to that puzzle.
Analyst Matt Bowen writes that Marquise "Hollywood" Brown makes a lot of sense in Tennessee.
The case for Brown is an interesting one. Since being picked by the Baltimore Ravens 25th overall in the 2019 NFL Draft, Brown has had mixed results as a pro. The 26-year old was traded to the Arizona Cardinals after the 2021 season, and is coming off of his career-worst year in yards (574), catches (51), receiving success rate (42.6%) and catch percentage (50.5%).
Despite all of those statistical failures, spotrac.com estimates a market value of a four-year, $59.53 million deal for Brown in free agency this year.
That projection would rank him 23rd overall currently among wide receivers' contract value. Brown would bring a vertical stretch element that the current group of Titans pass catches simply do not possess. DeAndre Hopkins is the only proven commodity at the wide out position in Tennessee, flanked by nearly complete unknowns in 2022 first-round pick Treylon Burks and fifth-round pick Kyle Philips.
The hypothetical would also reunite Hopkins with Brown after the two spent the 2021 season together in Arizona.
Carthon does have $65.24 million in available cap space to work with, but is a player with consistency issues like Brown worth the spend. New coach and offensive play-caller Brian Callahan could certainly use a vertical element in his new Titans system. As Bowen notes, Brown has 28 touchdowns in his career, with 10 of them coming on throws of 20 or more air yards.
Any legitimate receiving threats will be a welcome addition as the new staff tries to build out competency around second-year quarterback Will Levis. The AFC South will be an arms race this offseason. While Tennessee has the fourth-most cap space in the league presently, both the Indianapolis Colts (6th) and Houston Texans (7th) are positioned well to spend.
However Tennessee chooses to address its skill group, they cannot afford to be left behind for a second straight season.
Featured Image: USA TODAY Sports.
