What Will the Tennessee Titans Do in Free Agency?

by Jimmy on Feb 27, 2008 1:09 PM CST in News Comment 6 comments

The Tennesse Titans have a boatload of cap money for 2008. What will they do with it? I don't know about you, but I am starting to get a little nervous. They had at least 3 guys in Albert Haynesworth, Justin Gage and Antwan Odom that most fans would like to see back for next season, who were set to hit the free agent market. So far one of those guys is locked up for next season, Haynesworth, and he was franchised. There doesn't appear to have been a lot of talks between the Titans and the other two guys.

Last year they took a strong "We aren't going to overpay" stance. I agree with that in some cases. It would be a dumb idea to make Jacob Bell your highest paid offensive lineman. He is going to get silly money elsewhere, and because of his position and the ability of Mike Munchak to develop guys (see Jacob Bell), it would be stupid to "overpay" for him.

The Titans are going to have to throw some money at either Odom or Travis LaBoy. Either guy they keep, and I think it should be Odom, is going to get more money than they should, but that is the NFL today. It isn't really overpaying if that is what the market demands. They absolutely cannot afford to lose both of those guys. There aren't enough good defensive lineman in the draft to fill that hole unless they are planning on playing a 2-5 defense next season.

They cannot afford to lose Gage either. The Titans receiving core was terrible last season. Gage was one of the bright spots. If you lose him you are left with a bunch of guys who have proven nothing but that they cannot consistently produce. They should get him locked up before he hits the open market, or I don't think he will be back next season.

This team is a good receiver, a good defensive lineman and a situational running back away from being a very good team. If they lose Odom, Laboy and Gage they will be 2 good receivers, 2 good receivers and a situational running back away from being a good team. They cannot fill all those holes in the draft. It is time to step up to the plate and spend some of that money.

Oh, and signing Alge Crumpler is a must.

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I would like to see

On offense:

Re-sign Gage

Draft Sweed or Hardy

Sign Crumpler

Sign Stallworth- We could probably get him for cheaper than we offered last year even though he was healthy all year due to his lack of production. We need someone who can stretch the field.

Re-sign Hartsock

I think our RB situation is fine. Maybe draft one in the 4th or 5th to be a 3rd stringer.

Draft a TE in the 3rd if there is a decent one available.

On Defense:

I don't see how we could afford to lose Odom and LaBoy. I would rather have Odom, but if we could get Laboy cheaper I'm good with that.

Draft a D-Lineman in the 2nd. If we re-sign one of the previously mentioned guys, we should get a DT if not then DE. I like both the guys from Auburn, Groves and Sims.

Draft a speedy OLB and corner in the later rounds.

Sign Dyson. He is a fan favorite and could be a productive backup. (Fuller did a good job at nickel last year.)

The Jassus Has Spoken

by The Nasty One Lives on Feb 27, 2008 1:38 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

I agree

with practically everything yous said. I'd love to draft a wide reciever in the first round then pick up stallworth. The only thing i'm not sure about is Andre Dyson. Mccareins would probably be a better pick up, and we can get him real cheap. So a recieving core next year of Stallworth, Sweed/Hardy, Roydell, Mccareins, and Gage would work out great. I know we won't end up with all those guys, but I do think drafting a guy and Stallworth are musts.

by titanbt53 on Feb 27, 2008 1:59 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

I agree with

a lot of that, but I'd rather see Berrian here instead of Stallworth.

And I'm still hoping M.Kelly drops to us in the draft, I know it probably won't happen.

by Big Bad Bulluck on Feb 27, 2008 2:03 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

I think you're gonna be disappointed, Jimmy.

I'm sorry to say it, but anybody that gets this close to Free Agency is gonna want to test the waters. The Titans are gonna hope that the market for their guys is less than what the guys themselves think, but with the possible exception of Gage, I find that an unlikely proposition. Odom and LaBoy are both gonna get overpaid like mad, and if they don't, well, LaBoy is the one who'll be back, and that (at least to me) is not the right move.

Look at it this way: this draft class is supposedly kinda weak on the D-Line. And lots of D-Linemen have gotten Franchise Tagged. And the Giants just won the Super Bowl, mostly on the strength of their D-Line. All of that leaves none other than Antwan Odom as practically the top available Free Agent on the market. Everybody who's better than he is has gotten Franchised.

And, I mean, he is a good player, but is he THAT good? Really? To be the TOP D-Lineman available, especially given that the draft class is kinda weak?

I'm sorry, but I just don't see it. It's hard to say this, but honestly, I think you have to use your money elsewhere. At this point, I'd like to see it used on either on Crumpler or somebody else who can help your Offense quite a bit.

BTW, I personally think Gage will be back. He had a decent year for a Titan, but I doubt he impressed anybody outside of Tennessee.

DannoE

Go read FRIDAY MAD SCIENCE at www.paperbackreader.com
Thanks!

by DannoE on Feb 27, 2008 1:42 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

TE also

"This team is a good receiver, a good defensive lineman and a situational running back away from being a very good team."

I agree with the above - but might also add - ...'a good tight end' to the mix. Crumpler could fix that in a hurry. Being a Horn fan, I've watched VY for awhile now and he NEEDS a quality TE to be effective. Scaife is decent, but he needs more (and I think Troupe is done in TENN).

And I really fear that Odom is gone and it is going to be "a good receiver, a good TE, 2 good DLmen, and a situational running back away from being a good team."

Do y'all think this is realistic/favor this 2008 FA scenario: RB Derrick Ward from NYG, TE Crumpler, WR McCariens & WR Stallworth, and DE Justin Smith from CINCY, resign LaBoy?

to me, that would enable us to take a TE, WR, and a DL in the draft with the first three picks w/o having to have any of these guys have to step up as a rookie. Of course, if they did step up, that would be great, but if they didn't/couldn't, it wouldnt be detrimental to the team in 2008...

by titanintx on Feb 28, 2008 9:45 AM CST reply actions 0 recs