The Tennessee Titans are preparing to get back into the playoffs after a near-miss in 2018, and a solid haul from the NFL draft will help.
Entering the 2018 season, and coming off of a playoff appearance the year before, things seem to be lining up nicely for the Tennessee Titans. They secured some big names in free agency. The team also had what many considered a successful haul from the NFL Draft. Unfortunately, injuries to quarterback Marcus Mariota and an underperforming offense as a whole kept them from returning to the playoffs in 2018. Now they will need to address some issues with the 2019 NFL Draft.
It is difficult to evaluate the Titans without first looking at Mariota. The former second-overall pick has been league-average since he took over the team. Not only has he not been what they expected, his injuries have prevented him from playing a full season in his four years in the NFL. For the Titans to be at their best, they need better quarterback play than what Mariota is giving them. That is likely a big reason why the team traded for former Dolphins’ starter Ryan Tannehill. When Mariota eventually suffers an injury, having Tannehill to take over, rather than Blaine Gabbert, will be a huge upgrade.
Free agency was once again kind to the Titans. Offensively, guard Roger Saffold is a massive help inside for an offensive line that struggled at times last year. Former Buccaneer’ slot receiver Adam Humphries should help whoever is playing quarterback and get the passing attack off the ground. On defense, they kept safety Kenny Vaccaro on the back end. The losses of Brian Orakpo and Derrick Morgan were softened by the signing of Cameron Wake.
Saffold is the only signing that should affect how the Titans address the draft. They still need help on the edge defensively and at receiver on the outside on offense. Those are positions to keep an eye on for the Titans and they also happen to be the two deepest groups in the class.
This mock draft was done using The Draft Network’s mock draft machine and their predictive board. There are no trades and it is just the teams selecting where they are slotted.