The Titans are in a weird spot heading into this off-season. They traded away their best receiver (who went on to play a vital role in the Eagles’ run to the Super Bowl) for a rookie wide receiver (WR) with a lot of talent but could not stay on the field due to a few injuries. They now have an aging Derrick Henry, who has begun to slow down, and a quarterback (QB) who might have played his last down in Tennesee.
There is no successor in place for Derrick Henry or Ryan Tannehill, the offensive line hung on for dear life last year, and the WR group was the worst in the league. It is time for the Titans to blow up shop and go into deep rebuild mode.
This rebuild will start by cutting many players. Tannehill’s trade value is next to nothing, so he must be missed. The same is true for Robert Woods and Taylor Lewan, other aging veterans who will likely move on. These departures open the door for younger receivers to step up, leaving two big holes at QB and offensive line (O-Line).
The Titans need to use free agency to clean the roster, get younger on both sides, and piece together a decent offensive line for Malik Willis or a rookie QB. There are attractive O-Line free agents who are young but have yet to excel with previous teams. One name that stands out is Isaiah Wynn, and his time with the Patriots seems to be over. He would be an excellent addition to the O-Line.
The Titans hold the 11th pick in the upcoming draft. Depending in which direction the Titans want to go at QB will determine what they do with this pick. If Willis is the guy, then 11 is a perfect place to select one of the top tackle prospects. Paris Johnson Jr., Peter Storonski, or Broderick Jones should be available here and would be able to help this O-Line day one. If the Titans are unhappy with their current QBs, they should package this pick to move into the top five to solidify their chances of grabbing a QB from this class. Unless the Titans move a lot of capital to the Bears for the first overall pick, they should be eyeing the Seattle Seahawks as a trade partner. One and two will be quarterbacks, then three and four will be defensive prospects. A team like Seattle will be hoping to land one of the top defensive prospects, so with both of their guys off the board, they will be content with moving back, collecting capital and still getting a guy they could have drafted at five.
The package to move up to five might consist of the 11th pick and a first-round pick next year. If the Titans can get a trade done for the 11th pick, a player, and a second, they should jump all over it. However, it will be worth it if they have to give up a future first. Once they are at the five spots, a decision Will (pun intended) have to be made.
Will Levis would be the obvious choice, given that Stroud and Young will be gone at one and two. Levis will give the Titans a much-needed signal caller to get the ball out to their young WRs. However, the Titans cannot stop there. The Titan’s second-round pick will be on the O-line, and the rest of their draft should add upgrades at WR and defense. With a rookie QB under center, the Titans will not perform as well as they did this past season. There will be growing pains, but that happens when you blow up shop. Having a guy like Henry should help Levis in his first season. However, seeing the Titans competing in their division with this offensive line and WR group is hard. A duo of Levis and Treylon Burks will weather the storm until they are ready to contend.