Tennessee Titans Rumors & News

Potential Candidates For Panthers GM Job

July 17th, 2017 at 2:39pm CST by Zach Links

To the surprise of many, the Panthers are in search of a new general manager. It’s too early to know who will be in the mix for the job, but speculation is already rampant among those in the know. Here are the early potential candidates for Carolina:

Seahawks executive Trent Kirchner spent eight years in Carolina as a scout and could be among those considered, Mike Garafolo of NFL Network tweets. Kirchner interviewed for the Colts and 49ers GM positions earlier this offseason before they went to Chris Ballard and John Lynch, respectively.
Titans director of player personnel Ryan Cowden and Panthers director of player personnel Don Gregory are two names to watch, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. Cowden was among those to interview for the Chiefs vacancy this summer and spent 16 years working for the Panthers before joining Tennessee.
The Panthers’ highest ranking personnel executive left in the building Mark Koncz, Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (on Twitter) notes. He was promoted to personnel director in May from pro director.
It’s “just a hunch,” but Alex Marvez of The Sporting News (on Twitter) wouldn’t be surprised if former Chiefs GM John Dorsey ultimately becomes the Panthers’ next GM.
The Panthers likely going to go with an interim GM rather than rush to a decision one month before the season starts, Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer tweets. With that in mind, former GM Marty Hurney makes some sense. Hurney, who was relieved of his post as GM during the 2012 season, currently works for ESPN Radio in Charlotte. Under his watch, the Panthers drafted some of the team’s biggest stars, including Cam Newton, Luke Kuechly, and Thomas Davis.

Retweet 11 Share 0 Send via email0

ESPN: Titans Best AFC South Bet Long-Term

July 8th, 2017 at 3:45pm CST by Sam Robinson

Arguing a team other than the Colts was in the best long-term position in this division seemed fruitless for several years, given Andrew Luck‘s Indianapolis employment. But with the Colts having changed their management structure after having not made the playoffs behind their talented quarterback the past two years, the Titans appear to have usurped them as the long-term team of the moment here. The NFL Nation’s AFC South contingent at ESPN.com suggest the Titans are, in fact, positioned best for long-term success. Of course, Tennessee hasn’t been to the playoffs since 2008, but the presence of Marcus Mariota, an upward-trending offensive line and some weapons added this offseason helped the franchise move into this position.

Retweet 2 Share 0 Send via email0

Latest On Tajae Sharpe Assault Accusations

July 8th, 2017 at 9:03am CST by Ben Levine

Back in May, Titans receiver Tajae Sharpe and offensive guard Sebastian Tretola were accused of assault in a federal civil suit. Now, according to WKRN.com, the duo is countersuing the accuser, stating that he initiated the confrontation and the two players were purely acting in self defense.

The individual, Dante Satterfield, claimed that Sharpe and Tretola had beaten him until he was unconscious outside of a Nashville bar. Sharpe allegedly “took exception” to Satterfield’s comments about recent Titans draft pick Corey Davis, with the accuser reportedly stating that Sharpe’s playing time would now be reduced. After leaving the bar, Sharpe allegedly punched Satterfield in the face while Tretola kept watch. The individual claimed that he suffered from broken bones in his face, a perforated eardrum, and a concussion, leading to him asking for $500K.

In their countersuit, Sharpe and Tretola are saying that an intoxicated Satterfield continued to harass the duo inside the bar. When the duo eventually left, the individual followed them outside, threatening them and claiming to be in a gang. The two players admitted to “roughing up” the accuser, but they were adamant that their actions were in self defense.

The two players are asking for a jury trial and damages. The duo has not been charged, and Metro police recently said that their investigation was wrapping up.

“When my client sued Mr. Sharpe, his agent told the media that Sharpe ‘wasn’t even there at the time [my client] was allegedly beaten up,’” Satterfield’s attorney said in a statement. “In today’s court filing, Sharpe changes his story entirely and says he was there but acted in self-defense. We are confident that an impartial jury will be able to make out what actually happened that night.”

As our own Dallas Robinson wrote back in May, Sharpe could be in danger of not only earning a league-imposed suspension, but losing his roster spot altogether. Roster Resource lists Sharpe as the Titans’ fourth receiver behind Eric Decker, Rishard Matthews, and Davis.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Retweet 5 Share 0 Send via email0

Offseason In Review: Tennessee Titans

July 7th, 2017 at 5:21pm CST by Connor Byrne

Even though the Titans extended their playoff drought to eight years in 2016, the team made noticeable progress for the first time in a while. The Titans matched the Texans at 9-7, only finishing behind the AFC South champions because of a tiebreaker, and ranked a division-best 13th in the NFL in Football Outsiders’ DVOA metric. After his club nearly broke through last year, Titans general manager Jon Robinson spent the offseason making meaningful upgrades on both sides of the ball.

Notable signings:

Logan Ryan, CB: Three years, $30MM. $12MM guaranteed.
Sylvester Williams, DT: Three years, $16.5MM. $7.25MM guaranteed.
Jonathan Cyprien, S: Four years, $25MM. $7MM guaranteed.
Brynden Trawick, S: Two years, $4.75MM. $3MM guaranteed.
Eric Decker, WR: One year, $4MM. $2.5MM guaranteed. $1.5MM available via incentives.
Daren Bates, LB: Three years, $6MM. $1MM guaranteed.
Karl Klug, DL: Two years, $5MM. $1MM guaranteed. $800K available via incentives.
Phillip Supernaw, TE: Two years, $3MM. $600K guaranteed.
Matt Cassel, QB: Two years, $5.25MM. $500K guaranteed.
Nate Palmer, LB: Two years, $2.3MM. $350K guaranteed.
Eric Weems, WR: Two years, $2.6MM. $275K guaranteed.
Tim Lelito, OL: One year, $1MM. $100K guaranteed.
Demontre Hurst, S: One year, $690K.

Robinson’s most recent splash came last month with the signing of wide receiver Eric Decker, who unexpectedly fell into the Titans’ laps after the rebuilding Jets released him. A shoulder injury limited Decker to three games last season and kept him out of the Jets’ lineup for the final three months of the campaign, but there’s no indication that it’ll hamper him going forward. That means a Tennessee offense which finished 2016 atop the league in red zone touchdown percentage should continue to be a force inside the opposition’s 20-yard line.

The 6-foot-3, 206-pound Decker has been a major threat near the goal line throughout his career, and he’s second only to ex-Jets teammate Brandon Marshall in red zone TD receptions since 2012 (33). The 30-year-old figures to mesh beautifully with Titans quarterback Marcus Mariota, who dominated in the red zone with 18 TD passes and no interceptions during his initial two years in the league.

When he signed with the Titans, Decker became the fourth potentially significant passing game weapon Robinson picked up for Mariota this offseason. The executive struck three times in the draft, using high selections on two wideouts – first-rounder Corey Davis and third-rounder Taywan Taylor – and another on tight end Jonnu Smith (Round 3). Of course, the headliner is Davis, who went fifth overall after surpassing 1,400 yards and 12 touchdowns in each of the past three seasons at Western Michigan. Interestingly, Lance Zierlein of NFL.com likens Davis to Decker, calling the 6-2, 205-pound rookie a “touchdown juggernaut.”

With Decker, Davis, Rishard Matthews and Taylor serving as the top four in their receiving corps and Smith joining the prolific Delanie Walker at tight end, Mariota has an enviable supply of aerial options on hand. Plus, the dual-threat signal-caller should again be a key contributor to a top-tier rushing attack. DeMarco Murray, Derrick Henry and Mariota ran behind arguably the NFL’s best offensive line and led a ground game that finished third in the league in rushing and fourth in yards per carry in 2016. Murray and Henry remain in the fold, as does the Titans’ starting O-line from last year, which is an unfortunate reality for opposing defenses.

Speaking of defenses, the Titans’ Dick LeBeau-coordinated unit entered the winter in need of a makeover after ranking 20th in the league in yardage and 24th in DVOA. Robinson came through at the outset of free agency, reeling in two proven starters for his secondary in Jonathan Cyprien and Logan Ryan.

Cyprien spent the first four years of his career as a member of the division-rival Jaguars, with whom he started in all 60 appearances. He ranked as Pro Football Focus’ seventh-best safety last year, when he earned a near-flawless grade as a run defender.

Ryan, on the other hand, is a far bigger asset against the pass, and he’s coming off an excellent four-year showing in New England. As the Patriots’ former scouting director, Robinson was in their front office when they chose Ryan in the third round of the 2013 draft. Ryan, 26, is now a two-time Super Bowl champion who contributed heavily to New England’s defense with a combination of durability (64 straight appearances, including 40 starts) and productivity (13 interceptions).

Ryan and the Titans’ second first-rounder, 18th overall pick Adoree’ Jackson, are in line to helm a remade corner corps that also includes veteran Brice McCain, who started 10 games last year and rated as PFF’s 33rd-best CB. Jackson, like Ryan, is a ball hawk, having closed his USC career with five picks last season. Those two and McCain make for an impressive trio on paper, though it’s questionable whether the Titans have enough behind them. The pro track records of their other corners – Leshaun Sims, Kalan Reed, D’Joun Smith and Bennett Okotcha – range from nonexistent to extremely limited.

Considering Tennessee’s defense ended last year 26th in DVOA against the pass and 10th versus the run, it’s no surprise Robinson devoted most of his attention earlier this offseason to the secondary. But he didn’t ignore his team’s defensive line, where he signed nose tackle Sylvester Williams and re-upped role player Karl Klug early in free agency.

Despite starting 48 of 60 appearances in Denver 2013-16, Williams didn’t really live up to his first-round status in the Mile High City. With 5.5 career sacks, he won’t do a lot to aid the Titans’ pass rush (granted, after tallying the league’s fifth-most sacks and 12th-most hurries in 2016, it didn’t really need any), and it’s up for debate how much the 313-pounder will boost their run ‘D’. PFF assigned Williams a rather abysmal grade in that department last year, when 337 of his 644 snaps came in run situations. The outlet was much more bullish on Klug, whom it rated 22nd among 127 qualified interior defensive linemen (Williams was 46th). Klug has been valuable as defensive depth and on special teams since the Titans used a fifth-round pick on him in 2011, so it was likely a no-brainer for Robinson to bring him back for a meager $1MM in guaranteed money.

Notable losses:

Antonio Andrews, RB
David Bass, LB
Byron Bell, OL
Valentino Blake, CB
Anthony Fasano, TE
Rashad Johnson, S
Marc Mariani, WR
Jason McCourty, CB: Released
Brian Schwenke, OL
Sean Spence, LB
Daimion Stafford, S
Chance Warmack, G
Al Woods, DT: Released
Kendall Wright, WR

The Titans secured some potential high-impact players during free agency and the draft. At the same time, they didn’t say goodbye to any indispensable cogs. Jason McCourty stands out as the best of their departures. Prior to his release in April, the corner was the Titans’ longest-tenured player. McCourty had been with the team since it stole him in the sixth round of the 2009 draft, and he went on to start 90 games and pick off 13 passes in Tennessee. He accumulated 14 of those starts and two INTs last year, though PFF only regarded him as a middle-of-the-pack corner. The Titans, meanwhile, viewed him as too pricey. McCourty, now with the Browns, can still play, but he’s an obvious step down from Ryan at this juncture.

Unlike McCourty, others who exited the Titans’ roster in recent months didn’t come close to leaving indelible marks on the franchise. However, Sean Spence, Al Woods, Daimion Stafford, Rashad Johnson and Anthony Fasano did have semi-prominent roles with the club last year. The addition of Cyprien made Stafford and Johnson expendable, though, and the Titans immediately signed Williams to replace the released Woods. Meanwhile, Tennessee’s hope is that the blocking skills of Jonnu Smith and its offensive line will cover for Fasano’s exit.

Replacing Spence, who played half the Titans’ defensive snaps last year, could be a more difficult task. Now with the Colts, Spence was one of the most efficient tacklers in the league in 2016, according to PFF’s Michael Manning, who noted in May that the defender was also quite productive as a pass rusher. The Titans, to their credit, have a quality starting inside linebacker tandem with Avery Williamson and Wesley Woodyard. But going from Spence to the re-signed Nate Palmer as the top reserve in the middle looks like a downgrade.

Trades:

Acquired a 2017 third-round pick (No. 72; WR Taywan Taylor) and a 2017 sixth-round pick (No. 200) from the Patriots in exchange for a 2017 third-round pick (No. 83; DE Derek Rivers) and a 2017 fourth-round pick (No. 124).
Acquired a 2017 sixth-round pick (No. 207) and a 2017 seventh-round pick (No. 241; RB Khalfani Muhammad) from the Giants in exchange for a 2017 sixth-round pick (No. 200; T Adam Bisnowaty).
Acquired a 2017 sixth-round pick (No. 217; OL Corey Levin) and a 2017 seventh-round pick (No. 227; LB Josh Carraway) from the Bengals in exchange for a 2017 sixth-round pick (No. 207; S Brandon Wilson).

Draft picks:

1-5: Corey Davis, WR (Western Michigan)
1-18: Adoree’ Jackson, CB (USC)
3-72: Taywan Taylor, WR (Western Kentucky)
3-100: Jonnu Smith, TE (FIU)
5-155: Jayon Brown, LB (UCLA)
6-217: Corey Levin, OL (Chattanooga)
7-227: Josh Carraway, LB (TCU)
7-236: Brad Seaton, T (Villanova)
7-241: Khalfani Muhammad, RB (California)

Extensions and restructures:

Wesley Woodyard, LB: Extended through 2019. Three years, $10.5MM. $2MM guaranteed.
Harry Douglas, WR: Accepted pay cut. Reduced 2017 base salary of $3.75MM to $1.75MM. $1.75MM available via incentives.
Da’Norris Searcy, S: Accepted pay cut. Reduced 2017 base salary of $5.625MM to $3.4MM, and 2018 base salary of $6.125MM to $2.8MM. $750K available via annual incentives.

A former Bronco, Woodyard joined the Titans after the 2013 season and did enough over his first three years with the organization to earn a reasonably priced extension. The 31-year-old Woodyard, who’s now under Tennessee’s control through 2019, has appeared in 48 games in a row as a Titan. Thirty-eight of those contests have been starts, including 10 last season, when Woodyard graded as PFF’s 29th-best linebacker. Overall, Woodyard has collected 10 sacks and three INTs in Tennessee.

Other:

Exercised 2018 fifth-year option for T Taylor Lewan ($9.341MM).
Signed 12 undrafted rookie free agents.

Picking up Lewan’s fifth-year option was an easy call for Robinson, who was one of the premier acquisitions of previous GM Ruston Webster’s tenure. Lewan, whom Webster took 11th overall in 2014, is coming off his first 16-start season, in which the left tackle earned a Pro Bowl nod. He’ll be a Titan through at least 2018, meaning they’ll have the elite-caliber offensive tackle duo of Lewan and Jack Conklin for a minimum of two more seasons.

Top 10 cap charges for 2017:

Brian Orakpo, LB: $9,450,000
Logan Ryan, CB: $8,666,666
Jurrell Casey, DT: $8,588,750
Derrick Morgan, LB: $7,968,750
DeMarco Murray, RB: $6,950,000
Marcus Mariota, QB: $6,603,811
Rishard Matthews, WR: $6,333,333
Delanie Walker, TE: $5,317,708
Jonathan Cyprien, S: $4,750,000
Sylvester Williams, DT: $4,666,666

Robinson has done laudable work during his two offseasons as Tennessee’s GM, and the moves he made this past winter and spring just might propel the team back to the playoffs. It appears the Mike Mularkey-coached Titans will enter the season with the strongest roster in a division that’s there for the taking.

Information from Over the Cap and Roster Resource was used in the creation of this post. Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Retweet 7 Share 0 Send via email0

Jeff Fisher Hopes To Coach Again

July 3rd, 2017 at 11:02am CST by Zach Links

Even after more than three decades of coaching in the professional ranks, it doesn’t sound like Jeff Fisher is done with the NFL. At least, he hopes that the NFL is not done with him. In the final episode of Amazon’s “All or Nothing” series chronicling the 2016 Rams, Fisher made it known that he wants to get involved with coaching again.

“I want to get back on the sideline,” Fisher said (via PFT). “Not going to happen this year, obviously. We’ll just see what happens.”

The Rams went 31-45-1 under Fisher’s guidance through four-and-a-half seasons. For his career, Fisher owns a head coaching record of 173-165-1, giving him a not-so-impressive .512 lifetime winning percentage. Fisher has never won a Super Bowl and has not guided a team to the playoffs in nearly a decade, so he might not seem like a particularly sexy coaching candidate.

However, Fisher does offer tons of experience and he is extremely well connected through the league office. As Mike Florio notes, those connections could help him get in the door with an indecisive owner.

Fisher might be able to sell himself to one of the league’s 32 teams (or, perhaps, to one of 30 clubs) as a veteran coach who has six postseason appearances to his credit. The pitch may satisfy an owner out there, but it’s unlikely to energize a fanbase.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Retweet 12 Share 0 Send via email0

Titans Not Pursuing Zach Orr

June 30th, 2017 at 5:40pm CST by Sam Robinson

A number of teams are interested in Zach Orr, with his agent relaying that about half of the league has contacted him regarding the linebacker. Some teams are standing pat, though. The Titans appear to be one of them. Tennessee is content with its linebacker situation, and according to Terry McCormick of TitansInsider.com (on Twitter), has not reached out to Orr. The Titans have Avery Williamson and Wesley Woodyard penciled in to start on the inside of their 3-4 scheme. That’s been the team’s arrangement inside for the past three seasons, since Woodyard migrated east from Denver, and it looks like the team will roll with this duo for a fourth campaign as Williamson enters his contract year.

ESPN.com’s Field Yates recalls Jon Robinson enduring scrutiny for only getting reserve offensive lineman Dennis Kelly from the Eagles in last summer’s Dorial Green-Beckham trade (Twitter link). Now that Philly cut Green-Beckham after one season, the second-year Titans GM’s decision doesn’t look so short-sighted. A former fifth-round pick of the Andy Reid-era Eagles in 2012, Kelly played in 145 snaps last season and suited up for all 16 Titans games. DGB’s talent will make him one of the more interesting waiver cases in recent years, but he’s now seen two NFL teams give up on him after one season. This comes after he transferred to Oklahoma only to sit out his junior year in 2014. The last time Green-Beckham played for the same team in consecutive seasons was during his freshman and sophomore campaigns at Missouri.

Retweet 1 Share 0 Send via email0

Chiefs Request Interviews With Two Execs

June 26th, 2017 at 10:54am CST by Zach Links

The Chiefs have requested permission to speak with Titans Director of Player Personnel Ryan Cowden and Seahawks co-director of player personnel Scott Fitterer for their GM job, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter links). If permission is granted, then the executives will become the first outside candidates to interview for the vacancy.

On Monday morning, we learned that Vikings executive George Paton declined the opportunity to be considered for the Chiefs job. In theory, that means that Cowden and Fitterer will have a little less competition for the position, provided that they are actually looking to take the job.

Fitterer has been in the mix for multiple GM jobs, including the Colts and 49ers earlier this year. He was also being considered for a top job with the Eagles before removing himself from consideration. The Seahawks have enjoyed great success in recent years, particularly when it comes to building through the draft and discovering talented undrafted free agents. While John Schneider oversees the operation, Fitterer and Trent Kirchner have been instrumental in building the roster.

After 16 years with the Panthers, Cowden was hired by the Titans in 2016 to oversee all areas of the scouting department, including collegiate scouting, NFL scouting, advance scouting, and international scouting for the draft, free agency, and upcoming opponents. Titans GM Jon Robinson offered glowing praise of Cowden at the time of the hire.

“When I was first hired by the Patriots, Ryan was promoted by Carolina to handle the Southeast and we cut our teeth together in that region scouting,” Robinson said. “We were both learning the ropes, going to many of the same places and had a lot of interaction through the years on the road. He has a strong eye for talent, he has developed good managerial skills over the years and in the team-building process it will be nice to get his take, as they have put together very good teams there in Carolina over the years.”

Retweet 6 Share 0 Send via email0

Tajae Sharpe's Roster Spot Could Be In Jeopardy

June 23rd, 2017 at 5:11pm CST by Connor Byrne

As a rookie last season, fifth-rounder Tajae Sharpe finished second among Titans wide receivers in catches (41), targets (83) and yards (522) in 2016. Nevertheless, it seems he’ll enter camp with a weak hold on a roster spot, writes Jason Wolf of the Tennesseean. The Titans used two valuable picks on receivers – Corey Davis in the first round and Taywan Taylor in the third – in the spring and then signed established veteran Eric Decker last week. Those additions combined with Sharpe’s questionable health (he recently underwent surgery for a stress fracture in his right foot) and a police investigation over an alleged assault have the 22-year-old in limbo, according to Wolf.

Retweet 10 Share 0 Send via email0

Eric Decker Contract Details

June 21st, 2017 at 9:46pm CST by Dallas Robinson

As Tom Pelissero of USA Today reported yesterday, Eric Decker‘s one-year contract with the Titans can be worth as much as $5.35MM, and today Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk details exactly how Decker can reach that figure. In addition to his $2.5MM signing bonus and $1.35MM base salary, Decker can earn another $150K in gameday active roster bonuses. Additionally, Decker can get $250K if he scores four touchdowns, per Florio. He’ll receive $125K for every 10 catches starting at 30 and maxing out at 70 (netting him as much as $625K), and can earn another $125K for every 100 yards receiving starting at 450 and maxing out at 850 (potential total: $625K).
A one-year deal is seemingly never a bad investment, but some single season pacts are more valuable than others, leading Field Yates of ESPN.com (Insider subscription required) to examine the best one-year contracts handed out this offseason. Decker is the most recent signee to make the list, as he’s expected to act as a veteran presence on a young Titans receiving corps. Other featured players from the NFL’s South divisions include Falcons defensive tackle Dontari Poe ($10MM), Chiefs defensive tackle Bennie Logan ($8MM), and Colts wide receiver Kamar Aiken ($5MM).

Retweet 3 Share 0 Send via email0

Details On Eric Decker’s Titans Contract

June 20th, 2017 at 8:04pm CST by Dallas Robinson

New Titans wide receiver Eric Decker‘s one-year contract can be worth as much as $5.35MM, reports Tom Pelissero of USA Today (Twitter link). Decker will receive a $2.5MM signing bonus, a $1.35MM base salary, and up to $1.5MM incentives, per Pelissero.

Decker, 30, had been scheduled to earn a $6.5MM base salary with the Jets in 2017, so while he won’t be able to match that figure with Tennessee, he’ll have the opportunity to come close if he meets all his incentives. While it’s unclear exactly what totals Decker needs to reach in order to unlock his incentives, the bonuses are likely tied to receiving yards, receiving touchdowns, and/or the Titans team performance. Because Decker only managed nine receptions for 194 yards last year, any incentives are probably considered “not likely to be earned.”

Decker’s contract stands in contrast to fellow receiver Jeremy Maclin, who received a two-year, $11MM deal from the Ravens. Maclin, 29, is expected to earn $6MM in 2017, and Mike Garafolo of NFL.com reported that Maclin’s pact doesn’t contain much “funny money.”

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Retweet 6 Share 0 Send via email0

Load More Posts