Trying to figure out what the Titans will do, you need to think about what we have and how it fits. Offense QB - Set - Kc is locked up as the starter for 2 yrs so no immediate need. VY is less than 50/50 to be a Titans in 2010 so we could grab someone to develop. Ramsey is insurance for VY next season. Possible late pick. RB - Set - CJ is the starter and LW is the backup next year...though likely gone in 2010 which makes him trade bait. In the Titans scheme, they could look for a replacement as early as rnd 2 or nowhere and just get LW's replacement next draft. Possible early, mid or late pick. FB - Set WR - starting 2 SET...slot(s) unkown. Despite what the Titans say, they have a serious desire to get a starting caliber WR to upgrade this position (tried to trade for Holt and possibly Boldin). Possible 1st rnd pick, possible trade, likely they pick 1-2 WR's in the mid-rnds and add a 7th or undrafted for competition. TE - starters set for now. We have one replacement for Crump after this season, but Scaife is on a one year contract so he could stay or be dealt. Could draft a future starter in rnd 2-4 or depth 4-7 or nothing. OT - Starters are set...backup unkown. Could really use a quality backup OT...but not a guy that will develop into a starter since both Roos and Stewart are young. Mid to late rnd pick likely. OG - Scott is set but Amano could be upgraded. The Titans have Harris who could challenge to start at LG or OC. The Titans like to pick OL late and develop them. However, their Off is built around a dominant run game and Amano moving back to backup gives up upgraded starter AND quality depth. Earliest pick...1st rnd. likely mid to late rnd...especially 7th. OC - Mawae is set...sort of. He's certainly capable, but despite his selection, his play is not Pro Bowl caliber anymore and he won't be back after this season. Could be trade bait or we could look to upgrade....especially since this is one of the best drafts for OC in recent memory! Could be drafted in rnds 1-7 or get someone undrafted. Defense DE - Starters and backups set...sort of. KVB and Kearse will likely start with Ford and Hayes behind them. However, Kearse and KVB are in contract years and we likely don't keep both (possibly neither). That leaves a heavy burden on Ford and Hayes. I could also see JJones moving back to LDE if he can't keep bulk. If the Titans think they will keep KVB or Kearse AND like Ford and Hayes to fill the other spot, no high pick taken. Even if depth is drafted...will have to beat someone out of the 4 to avoid the PS. Either very high pick...1st or 2nd or late pick 6th or 7th. DT - Starters Set...backups iffy. Haye and Brown will start, but the Titans may need to add beef which they don't currently have. Also, Brown and Vickerson are in contract years and if Jones can't get over 290...he may not be able to hold a starting spot other than situational pass rusher. The Titans aren't desparate for DT, but they likely take 1..possibly 2 in the draft. Anywhere from rnd 1 (rnd 2-5 more likely) to rnd 7. OLB - Starters set...could add depth. With Bulluck in a contract year, the Titans could get nervous about getting someone to groom besides Keglar. Tulloch can play the outside in a normal D or against the run...but he's nowhere close to the pass defender Bulluck is and if Fowler takes over the MLB (in a tulloch slide outside), the Titans only have Thornton who can really cover in a nickelD. Could use quality depth or potential starter. I think the Titans will extend Bulluck so I don't see a great need to draft a potential starter this draft who likely rides the bench for 2 years. Not a high need, but this draft has a LOT of good OLB's...especially in the first 3 rnds. 50/50 we take one. MLB - starter and backup set...for now. Tulloch is in a contract year so he could be replaced with heir drafted in first 4 rnds. Not a high need if they want tulloch to stick around and he doesn't command a ton of money. Could be high need or nothing...earliest 2nd rnd...likely depth 4th or later. CB - starters and nickel SET...for THIS year. Expect Harper to walk after this season and we only have Clark Haggins as a potential replacement. We NEED to draft Harpers replacement and groom him for 2010. We need a starting caliber..outside CB...no later than rnd 3 IMO. There is a lot of CB talent in rnds 2-5 so we may take 2 considering we don't have much depth on the outside or the inside. Likely take a cb in rnd 1-3 and another in rnd 4-7. S - Both starters SET...only need some depth. Possible mid-late rnd pick. PK - SET P - set for this year. Likely Hentrich retires and there are a few good punters in this draft. I'd like them to take a look and see if a Gano drops to about rnd 6. I doubt the Titans draft a punter...they more likely would sign a vet punter. Narrowed down CB - likely 1-3 rnd pick and another depth in rnds 4-7 rb - likely lose LW in 2010...could draft replacement in first 3 rnds. wr - they want to upgrade. likely take a WR in rnd 1-4 and another later. oc/og - could grab an upgrade in rnd 1 or 2 or get someone to groom 4-7. qb - likely get on mid-late or undrafted free agent. TE - do they keep scaife or let him go after the season. Could go TE in rnd 2-4 or nowhere. Cb - major need for starter and depth. rnd 1-3 for starter, 4-7 for depth. DE - could look for someone to groom or immediate impact in rnds 1 or 2. Could take depth late. DT - could look to groom eventual starter or serious run plugger rnds 1-7. OLB - if they intend to keep Bulluck...look to add depth rnd 4+. Want starter...rnd 1-2. MLB - could get heir for tulloch in rnd 1-2...more likely mid rnd pick. As you can see, the smart money is on CB except that the draft is weak in rnd for cb's. Fortunately, we draft late in rnd 1 so we'll either have value or can wait for rnd 2-3 or move back or up. So even with our biggest need, the quality of prospects doesn't demand a first rnd pick so we really are open to almost anything. Since our team is built on a heavy run offense and a stop the run D with an excellent front 4...those would be the areas to upgrade or shore up early...that means...for me...you look at DE, DT (front 4 dominance), RB (if you expect LW gone after this season...can also trade LW during the draft), OC/OG (dominant ol), CB (huge need), WR (too much talent in rnds 1-2 to ignore and would compliment run game and FO is looking), or OLB (lots of top prospects). Take a moment to digest... Gut
A lot of hard work there, Gut. Good job. I think with this years team, our depth chart is pretty much already set with the exception of WR. No position stands out so much that it just has to be addressed with the exception of WR. And every one knows we might draft 2 WR's, most likely in the later rounds. IMO, our 1-3 picks will probably be CB, DE, LB. I'd like to say that one of those would be a WR, but given our draft history; well lets just say, no one should hold their breathe.
