Titans Tracker

The initial NFL free agent shopping spree has ended, and the only wide receivers the Titans have signed are two Justins: last year’s leading receiver Justin Gage and former Jet (and Titan) Justin McCareins.

Even so, I like the approach Titans GM Mike Reinfeldt is taking. He’s not overpaying for marginal talent. In a weak free agent pool, Bernard Berrian signed a $42 million contract with the Minnesota Vikings and Donte Stallworth signed for $35 million with the Cleveland Browns. It’s better for the Titans front office to take a conservative approach in signing talent and avoid the salary cap mess it faced after the 2004 season.

Given Reinfeldt’s approach to free agency, which is 180 degrees opposite the approach taken by the free-spending Browns, it looks as if Tennessee might have to draft a receiver in the first round. Although I’ve argued against it, this might be the only way the Titans can get a franchise player at that position this season.

Coach Jeff Fisher, when recently asked about the type of receiver he prefers, said “the priority is fast.” However, if you look at many of the prominent receivers the Titans have had over the past 5 years, the team also likes them “tall” (6′2″ and up, for our purposes). And which 1^st round prospects are both tall and fast? Malcolm Kelly and Limas Sweed.

Today, at the University of Texas’ Pro Timing Day, Sweed ran a 4.40 40-yard dash. If Sweed is on the board at pick 24, the Titans should pick him, cross their collective fingers and hope that he is this year’s Dwayne Bowe.

If the Titans draft a defensive player in the first round, management might consider picking someone like Jordy Nelson from Kansas State (6′3″), who I think will be a good NFL player. 

Brett Lorenzo Favre, the Gunslinger, the Iron Man, the Last American Hero, and everyone’s FAVoRitE quarterback, retired on March 4.

If you’re a fan of The Game, you’re a little sad this week. You know this day had to come. As Favre said today, all good things must come to an end. But after Green Bay lost to the Giants in the NFC Championship game, you knew Brett would be back one more season.

But it wasn’t meant to be. The man is tired.

I listened to his press conference today (available here). Below are a few quotes I found interesting (courtesy Green Bay Press-Gazette):

About God:

God has blessed me with so many great things. Ability, wonderful family. And as I was flying up here today I thought about so many different things and how I wanted to say some of the things that I felt like I need to say, but he gave me an opportunity to use my abilities, and I seized that opportunity … I thank him for that.

About stress:

But this year, and this is not the first year but it really to me and Deanna was more noticeable, the stress part of it. It’s demanding. It always has been, but I think as I’ve gotten older I’m much more aware of that. I’m much more aware of how hard it is to win in this league and to play at a high level. I’m not up to the challenge anymore. I can play, but I’m not up to the challenge. You can’t just show up and play for three hours on Sunday. If you could, there’d be a lot more people doing it and they’d be doing it for a lot longer.

An eye-opening statement about the No Fun League:

… after numerous games I would come home and after a couple of hours I had the computer out and I was watching film of the upcoming opponent instead of enjoying the win we just had. At some point, you’ve got to relax and enjoy and I found myself not enjoying it as much. It’s fun to win but you’ve got to enjoy it and relax a little bit. That more than anything was taking its toll on me.

Another eye-opener … and I believe him 100 percent:

… I can recite almost every play I’ve ever ran, called, think about near every game I’ve played in, and that’s going back to high school.

About what it’s like for famous people who die:

… I was watching at home last night, I actually broke down and watched some of the footage. How could you not? I realize what it’s like to die. As I’m watching TV last night, I said, ‘This is what it’s like when you die.’ They’re honoring me and saying all these things and showing all these games.

About how hard it is being Brett Favre:

I had so many people saying, ‘You look like you had a lot of fun out there this year,’ and I did. But what they don’t see, that’s three hours during the course of a week and I’m no different than most people. I can act the part and I know I expect a lot out of myself and certain things are expected of me within this organization and I tried to live up to those all the time. And Brett Favre got hard to live up to. And I found myself during games at times, tough situation, people always kind of made this joke or other guys on the team, even Mike at times would turn to me and say, ‘All right Brett. This is where you’re at your best. Pull us out.’ I’m thinking, ‘Uh! … ‘ Now I wouldn’t do that, but I’m thinking that. I’m thinking, ‘Boy it sure would be nice to be up about 14 right now.’ It’s just hard. It got hard. I did it, but it got hard.

And finally, Brett Favre on why we love Brett Favre:

Well, I think, I’m probably the wrong person to ask that. But if I had to guess I would say, and I hear this from time to time, he’s like one of us. Well, I am. I just play professional football.

I’ll consider sharing a story about how Brett Favre influenced a significant personal decision.

Enjoy your retirement, Mr. Favre. After 275 consecutive starts in the National Football League, you’ve earned it.
—
Some of you old-timers may remember the guy who briefly stirred the hopes of Packer Nation before Favre took over. Here’s a great article about the Majik Man.

Yes!

Jevon Kearse, AKA The Freak, has rejoined the team that drafted him in 1999. Kearse returns to the Titans after spending four nonspectacular years with the Philadelphia Eagles.

Kearse was plagued by injuries while with Philadelphia, but the Titans are obviously confident that he can be a productive player on its defensive line. I watched quite a few Eagles games in 2005, and my impression was that Kearse was playing in the wrong system.

I’ll take one 32-year old Kearse (he will be 32 when the 2008 season begins) over a Antwan Odom/Travis LaBoy tandem any day.

Go Titans. Now if Tennessee could find a good free agent receiver …

ESPN reports that Tennessee has agreed to a two-year deal with tight end Alge Crumpler.  This is Tennessee’s biggest splash in the 2008 free agent derby.

The Titans resigned receiver Justin Gage but missed the opportunity to sign free agent receivers Bernard Berrian and Donte Stallworth. The “good” news is that Randy Moss might not return to the Patriots but its a safe guess that the Titans have no chance of signing him.

Unfortunately, this means the Titans will probably draft a wide receiver in the first round. If they choose one, I hope they take former Texas Longhorn Limas Sweed.

The NFL Combine is underway, and free agency begins on February 29. Teams are beginning to put together pieces to improve their chances in 2008.

I should say, in most cases, teams are improving their chances. Today the Chicago Bears resigned Rex Grossman. I can’t understand why.

Here’s how I think the Titans should add offensive weapons to its arsenal.

1. Find a free agent playmaker at wide receiver

Note that I said “free agent.” I do not support the notion that the Titans should select a wide receiver in the first round of April’s draft. First round receivers have a shakier success rate than quarterbacks.

Let’s look back at the first year number of receivers from the first round of last year’s draft (pick number and team in parentheses):

• Calvin Johnson (2 - Lions): 48 catches, 756 yards, 4 TDS
  Remember how Johnson was supposed to set the league on fire, and how he was such a sure thing? 48 catches is a very modest output.
• Ted Ginn, Jr. (9 - Dolphins): 34 catches, 420 yards, 2 TDs
  Am I glad the Titans didn’t believe the hype and draft a player who is essentially a return specialist. Remember Desmond Howard, anyone?
• Dwayne Bowe (23 - Chiefs): 70 catches 995 yards, 5 TDs
  This is more like it, but who have predicted that Bowe would produce these type of numbers. I would have assumed Calvin Johnson would have a 70-catch season. My point is that it’s very hard to predict which first round receiver will produce for you and that the majority of them will be disappointments, as in …
• Robert Meachem (27 - Saints): 0 catches, 0 yards, 0 TDs
  How many Titans fans wanted the team to draft the University of Tennessee guy? Conventional wisdom says Meachem didn’t play because he was rehabbing a knee injury. Nevertheless, he was a first round pick who contributed nothing to his team during his rookie season.
• Craig Davis (30 - Chargers): 20 catches, 188 yards, 1 TD
  Does anyone outside San Diego and Baton Rouge know anything about Craig Davis?
• Anthony Gonzalez (32 - Colts) 37 catches, 576 yards, 3 TDs
  Here’s the guy I hoped the Titans would draft. I thought he was underrated coming out of Ohio State and expected him to be drafted in the second or third round. Unfortunately, division rival Indianapolis needed a third receiver to compliment Marvin Harrison and Reggie Wayne and selected Gonzalez last in the first round.

So, out of six picks, I’d say two of them met or surpassed team expectations (Bowe and Gonzalez), one performed slightly below team expectations (Johnson), and the remaining three underperformed.

Steve Smith was picked by the New York Giants in the second round. He only had eight catches during the regular season but had 14 during the Giants playoff run. Smith was a player I liked coming out of USC, but the Titans chose Chris Henry one pick ahead of Smith in 2007.

Free agent prospects the Titans should consider are Donte Stallworth, Bernard Berrian, Jerry Porter, Andre Davis and D. J. Hackett. I really like Andre Davis as a complementary receiver. He’s fast and he makes tough catches across the middle.

I fully expect the Patriots to resign Randy Moss. Also, the Titans must resign Justin Gage. Gage is a big target who developed chemistry with Vince Young and would continue to help Tennessee’s offense, despite his lack of speed.

2. Find a true 3rd down running back 

The Titans need a change of pace running back who’s small, smart and shifty and who can serve as a safety valve for Vince Young on third down.  Who fits the bill?

• Verron Haynes
• Julius Jones
• Derrick Ward
• Tatum Bell
• Mewelde Moore
• Aaron Stecker
• Reno Mahe

3. Sign Alge Crumpler

‘Nuff said. According to this story by the Tennessean, there is a good possibility Crumpler will be a Titan.