Titans, Mike Vrabel could make roster move to solve major issue
NASHVILLE — While the Tennessee Titans' offensive line has drawn a lot of attention for their early season struggles, the Titans' tight end room has been just as underwhelming. Tennessee's coaching staff has talked at length throughout the first three weeks of the 2023 season about needing more consistency from the tight ends. Specifically when […]
NASHVILLE — While the Tennessee Titans' offensive line has drawn a lot of attention for their early season struggles, the Titans' tight end room has been just as underwhelming.
Tennessee's coaching staff has talked at length throughout the first three weeks of the 2023 season about needing more consistency from the tight ends. Specifically when it comes to run blocking and chipping.
Chig Okonkwo, Trevon Wesco, and Josh Whyle are the three tight ends currently on the 53-man roster, but the Titans may be ready to make a roster move to help solve the problem.
Consistency is something most Titans coaches have brought up when discussing where the team's tight ends can improve. On Wednesday, Titans head coach Mike Vrabel was asked what he needs to see be more consistent and he did not hold back.
"When we run the football, that they blocked their guy. When they're in protection in a play-pass, they block the edge rusher and then when we send them out on a route, they catch it when we throw it to him," said Vrabel.
This just in, the head coach wants his tight ends to block defenders well and catch passes that are thrown to them. Not earth shattering, but I guess that sums up how inconsistent Titans tight ends have been across the board this season.
Okonwko has always been a work-in-progress when it comes to blocking, but even he has dropped passes thrown his way this season. Wesco was brought in during free agency to assume Geoff Swaim's former role of being the block-first tight end that's an extension of the offensive line, but his chips haven't been great and his run block PFF grade is currently 48.8.
Then there's rookie tight end Josh Whyle, who has played just 22 offensive snaps through three games after a really underwhelming preseason.
So who might the Titans turn to for an answer? Enter Thomas Odukoya.
Vrabel was asked on Wednesday if the team would explore elevating Odukoya from the practice squad to help solve the issues with tight end blocking.
"That's something that we could look at. That's certainly something that would be a possibility," said Vrabel
Okonkwo will undoubtedly remain Tennessee's number one option in the passing game amongst the tight ends. But it's possible that an elevation for Odukoya could eat into snaps from either Wesco or Whyle.
Raised in the Netherlands, Odukoya did not start playing football until age 16, but was named the Dutch National MVP in high school before playing his college football at Garden City Community College (JuCo), West Hills College-Coalinga (JuCo), and Eastern Michigan University (NCAA Division-I).
Following his college career, Odukoya was assigned to the Titans through the International Player Pathway Program and signed as an undrafted free agent following the 2022 NFL Draft.
Okonkwo referred to Odukoya as the strongest player on the team earlier this offseason, but despite being named an offseason award winner, the 26-year-old tight end did not make Tennessee's 53-man roster and was place on the practice squad.
We do know that Odukoya excels as a blocker and now his big break could be on the horizon.
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