State of the Titans Position Groups: Offensive Tackle

Michael Roos

($6.625 million in 2014 - voidable)

Roos has been the unheralded hero on the Titans line for years now. One of the more under-appreciated tackles in the league, Roos has been a consistent performer, and that effort continued in 2013. While not his finest year, he played well above average, and looks to have plenty left in the tank. I could see a new deal in his future, as we have seen many tackles maintain their solid play at an older age, and Roos is one of the better LT's in the NFL, and has been for a long time.

Mike Otto

(FA)

Otto has been the Titans "swing" man for a few years now. He is not starter quality, and his time on the field in relief efforts has shown as much. He is a FA after the 2013 season, and his return to Tennessee would likely only be in the case of injury during the 2014 season.

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David Stewart

($6.4 million in 2014 - voidable)

Stewart, like Roos, has been a stalwart tackle for the Titans for a long time. His aggression and run blocking abilities have built him a fine resume, but he was noticeably broken down this past season. After late season surgery in 2012, Stewart never regained his form or his health. He barely practiced all season, and only managed 12 games. That said, he still graded in the middle of the pack of offensive tackles per PFF. While I have a lot of respect for Stewart, the end may be near for him, and with his expensive contract voidable going into next season, I feel he has played his last down in two-toned blue.

Byron Stingily

($645,000 in 2014, last year of deal)

Stingily is an interesting player at this point. He is a physical specimen who shined big back at the combine with a sub 5 forty yard dash and 28 reps of the bench-press. He was poorly coached at Louisville though, so it has taken some time to bring him up to speed at the NFL level. He played well in relief of Stewart late in the season, which was a pleasant surprise. At this point, he is very affordable option if Titans brass feel he is ready to step into the RT spot, if only for a season while they groom a rookie. Who knows, he may pull a Velasco and seize the position for his own.

Looking Ahead

It is obvious that the Titans need to add some bodies to this group, whether that be by dipping into the free agent pool, or taking advantage of a draft that is rather tackle heavy. If Stingily is able to step up, if only temporarily, that will take a massive amount of pressure off of the unit. Having a rookie at RT to start the season may be asking for trouble since it seems unlikely they would reach for one in the early rounds. If Stingily is not the guy, then bring in a FA like Albert, Veldheer, etc, to hold down the position for a season or two while the FO figures out what to do long term.

All in all, the tackle group is solid. I will be sad to see Stewart go, but father time is not kind to NFL players, and the money being shipped his way would be better served in other areas, like key re-signing efforts and any FA additions.