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.

Tennessee Titans offseason positional analysis: Defensive end

William Hayes and Jevon Kearse wore each others' jerseys in practice one day. Photo by Andrew Strickert for Total Titans.

Continuing our offseason positional analyses, we now take a look at the defensive ends. The Titans started the 2009 season with five DEs and finished with six on the roster. Three of the six are free agents who will more than likely not be back in two-tone blue this season and another is an untested commodity.

That leaves only two who are certain to be on the roster in September so this position group should have more turnover than any other for the Titans this offseason.

Here’s a look at the status of the defensive ends, after the jump.

Tennessee Titans offseason positional analysis: Tackles

Michael Roos has played in two Pro Bowls. Photo by Andrew Strickert for Total Titans

We continue our offseason positional analyses, in which we take a look at the state of affairs within each position group. What’s the contract status of the players at that position? Are any of them potential losses? Is there a need to upgrade the position, either in March through free agency or in April via the draft?

In earlier articles, Drexel examined the quarterback and receiver positions and I took a look at the guards. Today we continue on the offensive line with a look at the tackles.

The good news is that the Titans have two All-Pro tackles signed through 2013. The bad news is that the depth behind them is untested. We’ll take a closer look after the jump.

2010 Tennessee Titans offseason positional analysis: Guards

RG Jake Scott is the Titans' best guard.
Photo by Andrew Strickert for Total Titans.

Total Titans continues its offseason positional analyses with a look at the guards. The key to the position group this offseason is Eugene Amano, who’s scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent.

It wouldn’t surprise me to see Amano test the marketplace in March. He’s a serviceable but replaceable guard and I don’t see the Titans overspending to keep him. I’m not sure that any teams will bid highly for his services with better options available. All it takes though is for just one team to like a guy so I’d be a little surprised to see Amano re-sign with the Titans.

At the other guard spot, Jake Scott will resume his third season as Tennessee’s starting right guard. He’s started every game since joining the Titans and has two years remaining on his contract. Scott is easily the best guard on the roster so there are no problems on that front.

2010 Tennessee Titans offseason positional analysis: WR

After concentrating on the state of affairs at the quarterback position, naturally, we’ll now focus our attention on the players who catch their passes.

In the second installment of our annual offseason positional analyses, we’re going to take a look at how the Tennessee Titans stack up at the wide receiver position.

2010 Tennessee Titans offseason positional analysis: QB

It’s that time of year again, folks!

Over the course of the next several weeks, the staff at Total Titans will take a look at how the Tennessee Titans stack up at each position as we continue upon the seemingly endless trail of the NFL offseason.

Let’s begin our annual offseason positional analyses by examining the state of affairs at the quarterback position.

Titans bye week positional ratings

How did a team that was 13-3 a year ago get so bad, so fast? 20 of 22 starters from that team returned this year. So did a lot of other players who got significant playing time.

Setting aside for the moment the question of coaching, let’s take a look at those players, position by position, and compare their performance this year with last year. I’ve used the following scale of one to five stars in rating both groups and players.

* Much worse than last year

** Worse than last year

*** About the same as last year

**** Better than last year

***** Much better than last year

Tennessee Titans positional analysis: Special teams

As training camp winds down, an important day approaches. September 5 is the date NFL teams must trim their rosters to 53 players and I’d like to use much of this special teams analysis as an evaluation of where some players stand in the formulation of the (almost) final roster.

 

Of course, three special teams players are guaranteed a job. You can’t win without a kicker, punter and snapper, so you can count on seeing Rob Bironas, Craig Hentrich and Ken Amato for another season.

 

Actually, Bironas signed a new four-year contract in the offseason and Hentrich re-upped for two more years. This is the final year on Amato’s contract.

 

Hentrich looks better after losing close to thirty pounds, which should help his chronically ailing back. Rookie A.J. Trapasso has helped share the load in camp and I hope (for the team, not for his sake) that he’ll be available this season if or when Hentrich’s back acts up again.

Tennessee Titans positional analysis: S

We continue our positional analysis series with a look at the Titans’ safeties.

And, in what seems to be a recurring theme for the series, the Titans return both their starters at safety, and those returning starters are pretty good.

Chris Hope returns for his fourth year as the anticipated starter at strong safety. Except for missing the last five games of the 2007 season after sustaining a neck injury, he’s provided a very solid presence.

His partner at the free safety position is Michael Griffin, who’ll be entering his second year as the incumbent starter after leading the Titans with 7 interceptions in his first season as a starter.

Tennessee Titans positional analysis: OLB

As the Titans continue with training camp and the preseason, we continue looking at the team position by position. Today we review a position group with several dynamics in play, outside linebacker.

 

The Titans have arguably the best pair of OLBs in the division, in Keith Bulluck and David Thornton. Bulluck has led the team in tackles six of the last seven years, with Thornton achieving that for one year as well. Since becoming full-time starters, Bulluck has averaged 126 tackles per year and Thornton 104. That works out to a combined average of over 14 tackles per game, meaning they’ve been very active defenders.

 

They’ll start together for the fourth year in a row and very possibly the last year. This is the final year on the 32-year old Bulluck’s contract and he’s said he doesn’t expect to be a Titan following this season.

 

Bulluck has the highest cap number on the roster and while it’s manageable this year, he’ll be wanting a nice raise by February. It’s hard for me to imagine Mike Reinfeldt offering Bulluck the kind of big payday he’ll be looking for in what will probably be his final contract as a player.