Tennessee Titans running back notes

In the offseason there really isn't a lot going on (at least there aren't a lot of good things going on) so it is a time to update your information on the players that are new to the team. In the offseason, no position on the Titans roster has changed more than running back, so with that in mind here are two news clippings that offers some new info/takes on the two new faces in the running back room.

Bishop Sankey a "must-own" player?

It is no secret that I am a big fan of Titans rookie running back Bishop Sankey. I would have loved a plodding RB that could move the chains, but those are a dime a dozen in the NFL at this point. With Collin Mooney and Antonio Andrews on the roster, what the Titans really needed was a running back that they believed could be a featured back in the offense.

Sankey has been an under the radar pick who compares to some of the most dynamic running backs in the game today according to RosterWatch:

We’ve told you for months, our scouting comparison for Sankey was last year’s rookie sensation Giovani Bernard of the Cincinnati Bengals. He’s a similar runner with comparable size.

Bernard plays at around 208 pounds, Sankey weighed in at the NFL Combine at 209 pounds- admittedly, not the prototypical 220 pounds scouts look for in a workhorse back. Some will argue neither can carry the load. We argue that not many backs do, and that Sankey’s predecessor in Tennessee, Chris Johnson averaged almost 300 carries per year over the last five seasons at 199 pounds. Don’t forget Andre Ellington in Arizona either, who had a pretty nice rookie season at around 200 pounds and is currently being touted as a 20-25 touch per game guy heading into year two.

That is the perfect explanation of what Sankey's role in the Titans offense will be. He isn't going to have 30 carries a game, nor should he. He is a player that can take 12-18 carries on the ground as well as catch a few passes every week, and allow the Titans to run a balanced offense. He is shifty, and a runner with underrated toughness that should make every touch count, not like some running backs in the past. (No I'm not bitter at all).

Antonio Andrews make the most of his opportunity?

The Tennessean's David Climber produced a good story Sunday about Antonio Andrews knowing that he needs to take advantage of a lack of clarity at the RB position. I think Andrews is the perfect foil for Bishop Sankey. He is strong, tough, mostly a one-cut, lower the head type of runner that can get the tough yards. At 5'10" 225 lbs. he can be a nice change of pace to the shifty duo of Sankey and McCluster, and he and Mooney could be a nice combination in red zone scenarios.