NFL PREVIEW: 2020 TENNESSEE TITANS

BY ADAM GREENE

Key Additions: DE Vic Beasley (free agent ), CB Jonathan Joseph (free agent ), OT Ty Sambrailo (free agent ), DT Jack Crawford (free agent ), ILB Nick Dzumnar, S Ibraheim Campbell, RB Senorise Perry (free agent )

2020 NFL Draft: OT Isaiah Wilson, Georgia (round 1), CB Kristian Fulton, LSU (round 2), RB Darrynton Evans, Appalachian State (round 3), DT Larrell Murchison, N.C. State (round 5), QB Cole McDonald, Hawaii (round 7), DB Chris Jackson, Marshall (round 7)

Projected Offensive Starters: QB Ryan Tannehill, RB Derrick Henry, WR A.J. Brown, WR Corey Davis, WR Adam Humphries, TE Jonny Smith, LT Taylor Lewan, LG Rodger Saffold III, C Ben Jones, RG Nate Davis, RT Isaiah Wilson

Projected Defensive Starters: LDE Jeffery Simmons, NT DaQuan Jones, RDE Isaiah Mack, WLB Vic Beasley Jr, LILB Jayon Brown, RILB Rashaan Evans, SLB Harold Landry III, LCB Malcolm Butler, RCB Adoree’ Jackson, SS Kenny Vaccaro, FS Kevin Byard

K: Greg Joseph

P: Brett Kern

Head Coach: Mike Vrabel

2019 Record: 9-7, 2^nd place AFC South

A Look Back: Since 2016 you can count on the Titans to do one thing; go 9-7. No matter who’s coaching the team or quarterbacking it, they’ve finished a game over .500 for four consecutive seasons. What made last year special was an epic playoff run that saw them end the Tom Brady and Bill Belichick dynasty for good. They also spoiled Lamar Jackson’s coronation as the next big thing and knocked the Baltimore Ravens out of the playoffs.

In spite of leading the Kansas City Chiefs by double digits in their AFC Championship game, they couldn’t keep Patrick Mahomes from doing Patrick Mahomes things and fell just like every other team would in the postseason. There’s no shame in that.

While Tennessee did finish 9-7, again, the important stat is that they (counting the playoffs) went 9-4 when Tannehill was handed the keys for good. They even picked up a serious win over the Chiefs in the regular season.

While I wasn’t a fan of the Vrabel hire when it happened two years ago, this playoff run was all him. The Titans were outmanned in all three of their postseason games and won two of them relatively easily.

2020 Projection: If there’s a concern going into this season it’s all on Tannehill’s health and not his playing ability. He’s always been a good quarterback, but he hasn’t played a full season since 2015. And, yes, I’m counting last year because he started just 10 regular season games.

They better hope they get a full year out of him because their schedule does them no favors. They’ve drawn the NFC North this season, which means games against the Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings and Chicago Bears. Their own AFC schedule is significantly tougher as well, thanks to the addition of Philip Rivers to the Indianapolis Colts. Roster wise, they’re still significantly behind the Houston Texans, but I feel like they’ve caught everyone else in the division.

2020 Projected Win Total: 10-6. Looking at the Titans’ schedule, I was tempted to go 9-7 again, but it felt like trolling. I feel like Vrabel figured a lot out about this team at the end of the year and it will pay dividends and lead to at least one more regular season win.

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