Tennessee Titans
2022 record: 7-10, second AFC South
Playoff picture: The Titans had made the playoffs in three straight seasons and four of five before last year’s regular-season collapse.
Biggest Week 1 question: This team ended 2022 on a seven-game losing streak and fired Jon Robinson, a well-regarded general manager, early in the skid. With Ryan Tannehill and Derrick Henry both in contract years and not getting any younger, are the Titans serious about competing in a soft division or is this a team on the decline?
What’s new: Ran Carthon is the new general manager, and perhaps his biggest move was landing free agent wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins in July. The Titans desperately needed something more as they keenly felt the absence of A.J. Brown in 2022 after trading him to Philadelphia. Tannehill and company will also be working under new offensive coordinator Tim Kelly and pass game coordinator/quarterbacks coach Charles London.
The Titans will carry three quarterbacks on the initial 53-man roster after spending a Day 2 pick on a QB for the second straight draft. On the unofficial depth chart, Malik Willis is the backup quarterback and rookie Will Levis, who plummeted to the 33rd overall pick in April, is QB3 after fighting a quad injury in training camp.
They’re gone: The offensive line was remade after the departures of three starters: left tackle Taylor Lewan, center Ben Jones and right guard Nate Davis. Lewan and Jones were Pro Bowl-caliber. Starting tight end Austin Hooper and wide receiver Robert Woods also left.
On the money: Coming off two straight Pro Bowl years, defensive lineman Jeffery Simmons earned a four-year contract extension worth $94 million. Simmons has recorded 16 sacks and 30 quarterback hits over the past two seasons.
Get to know: The Titans used the 11th overall pick on Peter Skoronski, a tackle from Northwestern who will start at left guard from Day 1. He benched 30 reps of 225 pounds at the combine, he spent draft day at a local pizza shop instead of in the green room and his grandfather Bob Skoronski was a lineman honored in the Packers Hall of Fame.
Vegas says: BetMGM pegs the Titans’ over/under at 7.5 wins. Tennessee has one of the lightest strength-of-schedule ratings this season, if that carries any weight.
–Field Level Media