Titans Position Analysis: MLB

Next up in our series of Titans’ position analyses is MLB.
Due to injuries and steroids accusations, Ryan Fowler’s hold on the starting MLB could be in jeopardy. Talented and athletic Stephen Tulloch, who showed some playmaking ability while Fowler was injured last season, is waiting in the wings.
Let’s take a look at the battle for the coveted man in the middle spot on the Titans’ defense.

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Will the defense be dominant in 2008?

In 2007, the Tennessee Titans rode the coattails of a stingy defense that made life miserable for opposing offenses to the franchise’s first playoff birth since 2003. Led by the dominating presence of Albert Haynesworth and the steady play of veteran Keith Bulluck, the Titans finished with the league’s fifth-ranked defense.
It’s been an eventful offseason for the Titans defense, which lost two players (LaBoy and Odom) to free agency while dealing with the seemingly never-ending Haynesworth contract saga.
Will this year’s defense play up to its 2007 level?

Surprise Titan cuts in 2008?

Last year, four-year starter Lamont Thompson was released during the Titans’ final cuts. Courtney Roby, a wide receiver with a once-promising career in Nashville, also was surprisingly introduced to the Turk before the beginning of the 2007 season.
With exactly a week remaining before the start of this year’s training camp, let’s take a look at veteran Titans who could be unexpectedly packing their bags within the next month or so.

Titans Position Analysis: OT

Tackle is without a doubt a position of strength for the Tennessee Titans.
Unlike the Albert Haynesworth contract situation, long term deals were struck with bookend tackles Michael Roos and David Stewart, enabling both players to be Titans for the foreseeable future.

Titans Position Analysis: TE

Next up in our series of position analyses is the TE position.
The Titans overhauled their TE position this offseason. Familiar faces such as Ben Troupe and Ben Hartsock have been replaced by the likes of Alge Crumpler, Craig Stevens and a familiar name from the past, Dwayne Blakley.
The return of Mike Heimerdinger means more double tight end sets and with the acquisition of the new personnel, expect this batch of TE’s to figure more prominently in the Titans’ offense this season.
Let’s take a look at the players competing for playing time at TE this year.

Chris Johnson: Future primary back?

As a result of being a first round pick, high expectations have been firmly placed upon the shoulders of Chris Johnson. His ability to make plays running, receiving and returning the football will be counted on heavily as the Titans look to improve an offense searching for playmakers.
Despite his small stature, Johnson packs a powerful punch. According to his draft profile, Chris has room on his frame to carry at least another 10 pounds of bulk without sacrificing his elite speed and quickness.
Could Johnson follow in the footsteps of other smallish backs who became every down RB’s such as Brian Westbrook and Willie Parker?

Bo Scaife: Stud, or the next Ben Troupe?

The Titans placed a high priority on upgrading the tight end position this offseason. First, they acquired the services of former Pro Bowl TE Alge Crumpler during the opening days of free agency.
They later swapped tight ends with the Falcons, losing Ben Hartsock to Atlanta while picking up former Falcon/Titan Dwayne Blakley. For the icing on the cake, California TE Craig Stevens was a surprise selection in the third round of April’s draft.
All of these moves were made despite the presence of last year’s starting TE, Bo Scaife, already on the roster. With only a year remaining on his current deal, will Bo Scaife step up in 2008, or will he follow in the footsteps of Ben Troupe, another talented TE drafted by the Titans who was eventually tossed asunder?

Apparently, it was too good to be true.
The return of The Freak has been reminiscent of a fairy tale: a prodigal son returns from a slew of lackluster seasons after signing a lucrative free-agent deal with the Eagles to save the day for a Titan defensive line that lost two key players to free agency.
Since his re-arrival in Tennessee, Jevon’s smile and his dedication have been on constant display as he has appeared motivated to recapture his past glory experienced during his first few years in the league with the Titans.
This weekend, the heartwarming fairy tale hit a snag with his DUI arrest near Vanderbilt University.

For some Titans, the pressure is on

NBA legend Charles Barkley once uttered the following words to describe pressure: “Pressure is something that goes in tires.”
The quote was the Round Mound of Rebound’s retort to the high expectations he and his Phoenix Suns teammates faced as they attempted to bring the franchise their first championship during the 1992-1993 season.
As we head towards the onset of the 2008 NFL season, like Barkley a decade and a half ago, several Titans face the unenviable task of living up to lofty expectations.
How will the following Titans respond to the pressure that awaits them?

What’s the skinny with Albert Haynesworth?

Albert Haynesworth’s future with the Titans has been speculated on for a while, including on this site. Now Albert’s agent claims there has been “no significant movement” in contract talks.
It doesn’t sound like much to me, just some agentspeak. Agents have been known to posture before (gasp!) so if that’s the case here, it certainly wouldn’t surprise me.