OVERVIEW
Head coach Ken Whisenhunt is heading into his second season with an overhauled roster and a new franchise quarterback in the stable. Last season's team stumbled to a 2-14 record after dropping their final 10 games of the season. However, a new QB and several new faces spread out on both offense and defense have fans in Tennessee optimistic for a turnaround.
Owner
The Titans got a new owner in the offseason and a fresh direction for the team. That man, DJ Majesty, has been adamant that the Titans will return to prominence under his leadership. Majesty has said he intends to build around the team's new star at quarterback and through the draft. At his inaugural press conference, Majesty said a solid, ball control offense and athletic, play making defense will be the cornerstones of the team's turnaround.
Head Coach
Whisenhunt enters his second season hoping to duplicate the success he had in Arizona during his second year. During that season his team came within a few minutes of their first ever Super Bowl win. While this Titans team is not quite the team Whisenhunt inherited in Arizona, fans in Nashville can't help but hope for similar results. The key to any success Tennessee experiences this year however will be based upon how well Whisenhunt can groom their young QB and patch holes in one of the league's worst defenses from a season ago.
Quarterback
Marcus Mariota enters the league with tons of promise and lots of questions. Mariota is a physically gifted athlete who ran an impressive 4.52 40 at the combine. He combines impressive quick twitch athleticism with prototypical QB measurables (6-4 222). The knock on the former Oregon QB, however, is that he may have been a product of the system in Eugene.
Mariota has a tendency to lock onto his #1 receiver which can get you punished in the NFL. His ability to read the defense and diagnose plays after the snap will determine the success he and his team have over the next few seasons. Working in Mariota's favor is the fact that Whisenhunt not only helped groom Ben Roethlisberger into a Super Bowl winning quarterback but also resurrected the career of Kurt Warner in Arizona. Mariota is a smart kid with all the tools and a coach who can teach so the outlook is promising even if things do not develop immediately this season.
Running Back
Bishop Sankey was expected to be the man to make fans forget about former 2,000 yard rusher Chris Johnson. However, Sankey disappointed last season with just 569 yards. The Titans then spent their fifth round pick on another running back in this year's draft, David Cobb, with the hopes that he can push Sankey for the starting job. The development of these two backs and their ability to establish a run game and take pressure off of Mariota will go a long way toward his development and the overall success of the team.
Receivers
The Titans went out this year with a focused effort to improve their receiving corps. Joining Kendall Wright this year will be former standout Hakeem Nicks and effective backup Harry Douglas. Joining them will be 2nd round pick Dorial Green-Backham who has the size (6-5 237) and speed 4.49 40 to be a dominate force in the NFL. Beckham also has all of the requisite tools for stardom as well. However, he has had off the field troubles and there are questions regarding his ability to mature and adapt to the pressures of the NFL. If Whisenhunt and staff can get his head right and focused on the game, he could turn out to be one of the more pivotal players in Mariota's development.
At tight end, Delanie Walker returns after a 63 catch, 890 yard season a year ago. Walker will likely be a welcome safety blanket for Mariota as he adjusts to the speed of the NFL. He also has the size and speed to help stretch defense and help open up holes for the running game.
Offensive Line
The offensive line has two young stars in tackle Taylor Lewan and guard Chance Warmack. However, it also has a ton of questions. Left guard Andy Levitre has been a disappointment since signing a huge free agent contract in 2013. Center Brian Schenke has been underwhelming and right tackle is an abyss. Whisenhunt and his staff need to find serviceable starters along the line to help the running game and to protect Mariota. If they are unable to do that, all the skill position talent in the world won't help them.
Defensive Line
Jurell Casey is one of the best 3-4 defensive ends in the NFL and he showed why last year with 68 tackles and five sacks. Casey sets the tone for the defense and is a disruptive force along the line. He is joined by nose tackle Sammie Hill and Ropati Pitoitua as well as reserve Karl Klug. The defensive line is important in new defensive assistant Dick Lebeau's defense and will set the tone both against the run and the pass.
Linebacker
At linebacker the Titans picked up free agent Brian Orakpo to help their pass rush opposite standout Derrick Morgan. Orakpo was injured last year and struggled in the games he did play but has 40 career sacks in essentially four seasons. The middle will be manned by 2014 fifth-round pick Avery Williamson (79 tackles) and Zach Brown who returns after being lost for the year in week one last season. This linebacking crew is fast, athletic and capable of creating turnovers and getting after the quarterback. If they can stay healthy, the Titans defense can be vastly improved over last season.
Secondary
The makeover of the Titans was not limited to just the pass catchers and Orakpo, the pass defenders got a serious makeover as well. Bernard Pollard was let go and replace by safety Da'Norris Searcy from Buffalo. He joins the aging Michael Griffin in the backend to form what can still be a very solid pair. At corner, the Titans picked up Perish Cox from San Francisco to pair with the solid Jason McCourty. Overall, this unit should be improved over last year's group that finished in the middle of the pack against the pas. An improved pass rush could make them that much better.
Special Teams
Reliable kicker Ryan Succup (19-of-22 field goals) was re-signed and pairs with the steady Brett Kern to form a solid kicking game for the Titans. Dexter McCluster looks to inherit the kick return duties from the departed Leon Washington. McCluster has been a standout as a punt returner averaging 11 yards per return and taking three kicks to the house in his career. Now he gets a chance to prove that he can be just as electric in the kick return game. Overall, the Titans should have one of the top 10 special teams units in the league assuming McCluster does not regress with the additional duties this season.
FINAL ANALYSIS
The addition of Lebeau to the defensive staff should certainly pay dividends along with the improvements to the personnel. A defense that can improve to even the top half of the league (from 6th worst) would go a long way in transforming the Titans record. Mariota will need to transition to the pro game though and see an improved line and running game for the Titans to truly make a turnaround. The team may not be there quite yet this year, but with another strong draft and a few more key free agents, this group has a chance to be one of the better teams in the league over the next few years.
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