Ran Carthon confirms Titans free agent strategy
Tennessee Titans GM Ran Carthon explains the strategy used in acquiring the 2023 free agent class.
Tennessee Titans General Manager Ran Carthon took a very calculated and intentional approach to his first free agent class.
With a number of needs to fill and serious salary cap restrictions, Carthon was able to find six players in free agency that will be impactful players for the 2023 Titans without spending top dollar in the market.
Tennessee signed LT Andre Dillard, OL Daniel Brunskill, LB Azeez Al-Shaair, DE Arden Key, LB Luke Gifford, and CB Sean Murphy-Bunting to free agent contracts.
Carthon spoke to Titans team reporter Jim Wyatt at the NFL owners meetings earlier this week and discussed the free agent strategy that resulted in those six signings. Every player that Tennessee signed has one thing in common.
"Andre is untapped potential," Carthon said about new Titans left tackle Andre Dillard. "This is a guy, former first round pick, really athletic, and he just continues to get better. He just needed an opportunity."
"I think the overall view of the guys that we brought in, every guy has starter level ability, they just haven't had the ability to be full-time starters," Carthon told Wyatt. "Each of these guys have logged starts here and there but they've never been full-time starters and they're guys we believe in and can become starters in our league."
Ironically, Carthon compared Tennessee's latest signings to Titans head coach Mike Vrabel, who spent four years with the Pittsburgh Steelers at the beginning of his playing career, but did not start a game until he left for the New England Patriots in free agency.
"If you kind of think about it, it's kind of how [Mike Vrabel]'s career started. He was a third round pick in Pittsburgh, he never started in Pittsburgh, and got his opportunity in New England and obviously, the rest is the rest," Carthon said to Wyatt.
Vrabel would go on to start 140 games in a 14-year NFL career, racking up 57 sacks, three Super Bowl rings, and a First-Team All-Pro selection.
For an executive with an extensive scouting background and demonstrated success analyzing pro personnel, "untapped potential" free agents are the perfect strategy. While working in the 49ers front office, Carthon proved to be capable of identifying impactful players that don't make top dollar, and brought them to the attention of head coach Kyle Shanahan and GM John Lynch.
If you know what you're looking for, you can find productive players with potential that the rest of the league undervalues. I get the sense that Carthon, Vrabel, and company have a good understanding of what all six new Titans can bring to the table.
Image via Tennessee Titans on YouTube
