Three under the radar free agents the Tennessee Titans must re-sign
Even though the season is over for all but four NFL teams, front office work for the other 28 teams is shifting into high gear. After the Tennessee Titans were eliminated by the Cincinnati Bengals in the AFC Divisional Round, the Titans’ focus now shifts to the offseason. While General Manager Jon Robinson and Head […]
Even though the season is over for all but four NFL teams, front office work for the other 28 teams is shifting into high gear. After the Tennessee Titans were eliminated by the Cincinnati Bengals in the AFC Divisional Round, the Titans’ focus now shifts to the offseason. While General Manager Jon Robinson and Head Coach Mike Vrabel will spend a lot of time and brain power on what to do with some of the team’s centerpieces, such as Harold Landry and Ben Jones, there are three “under the radar” players who the Titans must bring back next season.
Nick Westbrook-Ikhine (WR)
The Titans asked a lot of Westbrook-Ikhine in just his second year in the NFL after going undrafted out of Indiana University in 2020. With A.J. Brown and Julio Jones spending a healthy portion of the season dealing with injuries, it was NWI who was forced to step up in critical moments for the undermanned Titans offense.
Westbrook-Ikhine finished second on the team in catches (38), receiving yards (476), and receiving touchdowns (4), trailing just A.J. Brown in all three categories. At 6’2” he provides a wide catch radius that QB Ryan Tannehill prefers while also proving to be sure-handed as he only recorded two drops on the season. What makes NWI particularly valuable, though, is what he can offer on special teams, in addition to his position play. Vrabel has spent multiple press conferences throughout the season bragging on the 24-year-old’s contributions to the special teams unit. Westbrook-Ikhine is a restricted free agent, meaning the Titans will have the first crack in inking the young wideout this offseason.
Dane Cruikshank (S)
Cruikshank took a sizable leap over the course of the 2021 NFL season. Like Westbrook-Ikhine, the 27-year-old defensive back made a name for himself through his play on special teams. It wasn’t until this season that Cruikshank logged meaningful snaps on the defensive side of the ball.
After suffering a season-ending groin injury early in 2020, Cruikshank managed to post a career-high in tackles (43), nearly doubling his production in his first three seasons with the team. Cruikshank also proved to be a formidable defender against opponents’ tight ends and that is something the Titans cannot afford to lose as long as Travis Kelce, Dawson Knox, and Mark Andrews remain in the AFC.
Randy Bullock (K)
The Titans finally found themselves a kicker. After two long seasons of inconsistency and injury out of one of the most important positions on a football team, the Titans can rest assured that they have discovered a trustworthy option for the time being. Bullock converted on 26-of-31 field goal tries this season (83.9%) while also going 42-of-45 on extra point attempts.
Bullock hit just one field goal from 50+ yards on the year but his consistency inside the 50-yard-line should not go underappreciated. The Justin Tuckers and Evan McPhersons of the NFL do not grow on trees and, while he probably won’t be making any Pro Bowls any time soon, the nine-year veteran has made some clutch kicks during his career, including three game-winning field goals in 2021 for the Titans. It was after his game winner in overtime on the road against the Indianapolis Colts in Week 8 where Vrabel announced to the team in the locker room that Bullock has finally found his home.
Featured image courtesy of Christopher Hanewinckel – USA TODAY Sports
