We’re two weeks into free agency so it’s time to take a look back at every move the Tennessee Titans have made and slap a grade on each.
Aside from bringing back their own free agents, the Titans haven’t made many big moves. However, general manager Jon Robinson still has ample cap space to bring in another big-name player.
From the cuts earlier in the offseason, to the Jurrell Casey trade, to the most recent signings, let’s take a look at some grades for every single move the Titans have made.
Cuts
Delanie Walker, Dion Lewis, Ryan Succop, Cameron Wake: A
Every one of these cuts were a home run for the Titans. Each of these players were either injured or ineffective last season and making far too much money to keep around in 2020.
In total, the Titans saved roughly $18 million with these moves, which as we’ve seen was needed to navigate the offseason.
Re-signing Ryan Tannehill: A
A lot was made about the four-year, $118 million deal Tannehill received, but the truth is that places him ninth in the NFL in annual average salary among quarterbacks. He’ll fall even further than that once Dak Prescott and Patrick Mahomes get their new deals.
It’s not like the Titans made him the highest-paid signal-caller in the NFL, and a 2020 cap hit of $22.5 million for Tannehill is fairly low and allows for cap space flexibility. If things go badly, Tannehill has dead cap hits of $10 million in 2022 and $5 in 2023, so the Titans could escape then.
Tennessee simply had to get something done with Tannehill to bring him back, as the 31-year-old had more success in 2019 than any Titans quarterback since Steve McNair.
Franchise tagging Derrick Henry: A
I’m a proponent of giving Henry a long-term deal as long as it’s a fair amount of money and a team-friendly structure, but the alternative was always to franchise tag him if the two sides couldn’t work something out.
Now the Titans will have more time to get Henry signed, and if not he’ll definitely remain in Nashville for at least one more season. Tennessee simply couldn’t let the heart and soul of their offense walk.
That also gives Tennessee time to find a new franchise running back if this drags out into 2021, which certainly seems possible at this stage in the game.
Re-signing Dennis Kelly: A
Not being able to re-sign Jack Conklin might be a tough pill to swallow after the great season he just had, but Kelly was always the next best solution if he wasn’t brought back.
The 30-year-old performed well in 2018 in place of Conklin and helps keep continuity along the offensive line. He also comes at a far cheaper price than Conklin without much, if any, drop off in performance.
Re-signing MyCole Pruitt: B
I originally gave this move an “A” prior to knowing what Pruitt would be making in 2020. I’m going to downgrade it a bit now that we know Pruitt will be making over $2 million, which is triple what he made in 2019.
That seems like a lot for a guy who is primarily a blocker. However, he is a very good blocker and the Titans are a run-first team, so they value a blocking tight end more so than most teams would.
Re-signing Anthony Firkser: A
No issue at all with this move. Firkser is a quality backup tight end who can make plays in the passing game. Along with Jonnu Smith and Pruitt, Firkser is one-third of a solid trio of tight ends for the Titans.
Re-signing Reggie Gilbert: C
Gilbert didn’t contribute much last season and was more of a rotational piece. Still, the Titans almost had to bring him back after giving up a seventh-round pick for him last August. My only concern is Gilbert will be a roadblock for younger guys at the position, like D’Andre Walker and Derick Roberson.
Re-signing Cameron Batson: B
There isn’t much to say about Batson. He might end up being a sixth receiver and return man in 2020. He spent all of last season on Injured Reserve and has only caught eight passes and returned three kicks during his career. Batson will have to battle for a spot on the roster.
Signing Vic Beasley: B
This was originally a “C” grade because of the concerns surrounding Beasley about his effort and consistency, on top of the fact that this might not be a sufficient move if it’s the only attempt to improve the Titans’ pass-rush.
However, after the trade of Jurrell Casey, it’s likely the Titans have more up their sleeve and Beasley is just one of a few moves to be made to help the pass-rush. That hasn’t happened yet, but if, let’s say Jadeveon Clowney gets signed, this move becomes an easy “A” because of the embarrassment of riches it provides in getting to the quarterback.
Adding to that, when you consider Beasley’s Pass Rush Win Rate was the 15th-best in the NFL and places him just one spot behind Yannick Ngakoue, per ESPN, it’s another case of sack totals not telling the whole story. Beasley has a ton of upside and should at least be disruptive enough to take pressure off Harold Landry.
Trading Jurrell Casey: Incomplete
It’s simply impossible to grade this trade yet until we have more clarity about how the Titans intend to spend the move saved by dealing Casey to the Denver Broncos for a seventh-round pick.
If it turns out the Titans sign Clowney, then the trade becomes an easy “A”, as the 27-year-old would be a clear upgrade over Casey. If Tennessee brings in Everson Griffen, the moves becomes a “B” because it’s still an upgrade.
However, anything less than those caliber of players makes this trade far worse and Robinson could easily get a failing grade for trading away a defensive stalwart like Casey and not bringing in someone better.
Signing Ty Sambrailo: A
The departure of Conklin created a domino effect for the Titans’ offensive line, as it meant that Kelly moving up to starter would rob Tennessee of a valuable depth piece that wouldn’t be easy to replace.
Sambrailo is a solid replacement there. Granted, he isn’t as talented as Kelly, but he does possess the kind of athleticism that makes him a great fit in the Titans’ system, and he can play both tackle spots and at guard.
Signing Nick Dzubnar: A
If the Titans are going to lose either Daren Bates or Wesley Woodyard, bringing a special teams ace like Dzubnar in was the right move. Those players will have big shoes to fill, though, as Bates was a hype man in the locker room and Woodyard was a great leader.
Signing Jack Crawford: A
Crawford is the newest signing by the Titans and returns the depth and versatility on the defensive line that Austin Johnson provided last season. He’s a solid backup, but also proved he could step into a starting role and make an impact after totaling six sacks as a starter in 2018.
