Tennessee Titans general manager has impressed many with his moves ion the 2019 NFL free agency, addressing practically every one of the team’s needs in roughly a week.
Such effectiveness gives the Titans plenty of freedom to focus in on the best overall players available with the No. 19 overall pick in the first round of the 2019 NFL Draft, rather than having to put a lot of focus on a particular position.
Here’s how the Titans’ most recent acquisitions from other NFL teams grade out:
QB Ryan Tannehill
Grade: B-
The Titans definitely needed to find a new name to assume backup quarterback duties after the underperformance of Blaine Gabbert last season, and there are many mixed emotions in regards to who they chose to fill that need.
Tannehill could very well finally be the answer at second-string, and could help push Mariota for seasons to come. Depending on how healthy Mariota stays and how the season unfolds, Tannehill may even find himself in a situation to compete for the No. 1 spot.
But it’s best to remain cautiously optimistic about this particular pickup, given the Titans’ history with backups and things like the fact Gabbert was the only QB with 100 dropbacks or more that held a lower overall PFF grade than Tannehill in 2018.
OL Rodger Saffold
Grade: A+
The Titans absolutely must improve a regressing offensive line to protect quarterback Marcus Mariota, and give running back Derrick Henry a chance to bust the ground game open even further.
They took a good first step in doing this by acquiring former Los Angeles Rams offensive lineman Rodger Saffold.
Saffold is an effective and physical run-blocker, who ranked third among all guards in ESPN’s Pass Block Win Rate (min. 300 blocks) in 2018. He also held his blocks for at least 2.5 seconds 87.4 percent of the time.
WR Adam Humphries
Grade: A+
The Titans entered the offseason with a need for more depth at wide receiver, and they made a solid decision in signing slot receiver Adam Humphries.
Humphries has been consistently reliable over four seasons with the Buccaneers but had a career year in 2018, reeling in 76 receptions for 816 yards and five touchdowns.
Humphries was also clutch on third-down situations, which will be especially helpful for a team like the Titans who sometimes struggled to keep the chains moving on offense in 2018.
OLB Cameron Wake
Grade: B+
After the departure of outside linebacker Brian Orakpo after the 2018 season, the Titans needed a veteran pass rusher figure.
They found just that in Cameron Wake, who despite being 37-years-old, believes he still has a good but of football left in him.
Wake has proven still effective in recent seasons, recording six sacks in 2018 with limited snaps, and 10.5 in 2017.
On his career, he’s recorded 279 total tackles, 98 sacks, 16 passes defensed and one interception.
