2010 Tennessee Titans offseason positional analysis: DT

Since Andrew recently took a look at how the Tennessee Titans stack up at the defensive end position, it’s only natural for the next installment of our offseason positional analyses to be focused upon the guys who make up the rest of the defensive line: the defensive tackles.

Heading into the 2009 season, filling the enormous void left by “Fat Albert” Haynesworth was the main goal for the Titans at DT. Despite the stellar play of Tony Brown and a solid run defense, the DT position failed to get the type of consistent pass rush that was a trademark of the units that consisted of the gargantuan Haynesworth manning the fort in the trenches.

With 2009 behind us and 2010 looming on the not-so-immediate horizon, let’s analyze the state of affairs at defensive tackle.

Retaining Stephen Tulloch: A no-brainer for the Tennessee Titans

Similar to the subject of my most recent article (Tony Brown), the impending free agent status of fellow Titan defensive stalwart Stephen Tulloch is also in limbo due to the NFL’s situation with an expiring collective bargaining agreement.

To make a long story short: New CBA= Tulloch is an unrestricted free agent, No CBA= Tulloch being a restricted free agent.

As the case with my feelings towards bringing Brown back into the fold, re-signing Stephen Tulloch should also be a top offseason priority for the Tennessee Titans.

Memo to the Tennessee Titans: Keep Tony Brown around

Regardless of whether or not a new collective bargaining agreement will be reached by the beginning of March, in some shape or form, Tony Brown will be a free agent this offseason.

Without a new CBA, Brown’s ability to test the free agency waters will be restricted. At the opposite end of the spectrum, TB will be an unrestricted free agent if the seemingly impossible occurs with the owners and the players’ union shaking hands on a new agreement.

Either way, based on his stellar play over the last couple of seasons, the Tennessee Titans would be wise to bring Tony Brown back into the fold.

When will the Tennessee Titans show CJ the money?

In a topsy-turvy season filled with high and lows, there was one constant for the Tennessee Titans in 2009: the dominating performance by Every Coach’s Dream a.k.a. Chris Johnson.

CJ was a consistent ray of light as he trotted past the 2,000 yard rushing mark in ’09. In only two seasons in the NFL, he’s been everything the Titans dreamed and envisioned when they shocked the world (outside of Frank Wycheck) by selecting him with pick #24 in the 2008 draft.

With two years served in a modest $12 million rookie contract, CJ has hopes of becoming the league’s highest paid-back in the not-so-distant future.

When will the typically frugal Titan front office step up and reward Johnson with the new contract he probably deserves?

Happy trails, KVB?

In preparation for his participation in last night’s Pro Bowl, veteran DE Kyle Vanden Bosch informed the media about his belief regarding his days as a Tennessee Titan coming to end.

KVB, who will be an unrestricted free agent this offseason, has not been approached with an offer to stay and he’s preparing to extend his career in another NFL city in 2010.

Is letting KVB depart via the waters of free agency a good or bad decision by the Titans?

2010 Senior Bowl: Possible Tennessee Titan draft options

Tomorrow, Mobile, Alabama will play host to its annual all-star game that showcases the talents of college football’s best and brightest senior NFL draft prospects.

The Senior Bowl is an excellent opportunity for NFL teams to get a head-start in the lengthy evaluation process that culminates with April’s NFL Draft.

Let’s take a look at a few Senior Bowl participants who could emerge as potential draft targets for the Tennessee Titans.

Tennessee Titans 2009 All-Opponent team

A lot of players had big games against the Titans in 2009 so I thought I’d select an All-Opponent team. These are not necessarily the best players but they are the players who had the best games, in my opinion, against the Titans in the 2009 season.

For example, Peyton Manning was the league’s best quarterback but Tom Brady played better against Tennessee than Manning did. Brady therefore makes the team and Manning does not.

Jevon Kearse, thanks for the memories

Jevon Kearse has been a Titan for seven of his eleven NFL seasons. Photo by Andrew Strickert for Total Titans

Of all the Titans whose contracts are expiring, Jevon Kearse is the one most certain not to return for another season in two-tone blue.

He’s just finished the worst season of his 11-year NFL career, has to recuperate from knee surgery and will be 34 years old when the season starts in September.

It could very well be his final year in the league as well but don’t feel sorry for The Freak. He’s had a spectacular (at least his first three seasons) and lucrative career.

Who was worse, Michael Griffin or Lamont Thompson?

Michael Griffin was terrible in 2009. Photo by Andrew Strickert for Total Titans.

The 2000-2009 decade was certainly a topsy-turvy one for Titans’ free safeties. It started out great with Marcus Robertson, declined with Perry Phenix, was OK with Lance Schulters and was terrible with Lamont Thompson.

One thing I will always remember about Lamont was the number of times the Titans’ secondary gave up touchdown passes, followed by finger-pointing among various members of the secondary. Although it was sometimes impossible to tell which player had botched his assignment and blew the coverage, there seemed to be one constant. Thompson was almost always one of the two players involved.

Defensive End: The Tennessee Titans’ biggest draft need?

Depending on the outcome of a coin flip, the Tennessee Titans will be on the clock with the 16th or 17th pick in April’s 2010 NFL Draft.

According to early mock drafters, the Titans would be wise to invest in the defensive end position with their first pick. Considering the questionable returns of veterans Kyle Vanden Bosch and Jevon Kearse and a decrease in sack production last year, draft prognosticators, at least in the early going of the process that culminates in April, are convinced that DE is the way to go with the Titans’ first selection.