(image credit: Steve Roberts / USA Today Sports)
Written by: Joseph Yun
Twitter: 2Yoon2ZeroBlitz
The Titans’ preseason wrapped up Saturday night with a heartbreaking loss to the Chicago Bears. They finish the August proceedings with a 2-1 record, managing to defeat the Falcons and Buccaneers on the road. The 53 man roster cutdown deadline looms as it arrives on Tuesday at 4 PM EST.
Which Titans are locks to make the roster? Who did enough to solidify their spots? Who will leave Nashville wanting? Which select 53 men will we see on September 12 in Nashville to face the Cardinals?
OFFENSE
QB
1. Ryan Tannehill
2. Logan Woodside
- Woodside wins the backup job due to system familiarity and longevity with the staff over Matt Barkley who gave it a good run. Neither QB could separate themselves with similar statistics through the preseason and practice performance. I wouldn’t be surprised if the Titans were in the market for a backup for the senior roster to push Woodside and a “designated survivor” on the practice squad. Lowkey a huge need going forward if Ryan Tannehill is limited by COVID.
RB
1. Derrick Henry
2. Darrynton Evans
3. Mekhi Sargent
4. Javian Hawkins
FB Khari Blasingame
- Evans has a spot on the roster despite his injury concerns so he’ll be pushed hard by Sargent who earned his way on the roster with an outstanding preseason. Hawkins was a late addition after the Falcons released him but he stood out in limited action. Blasingame was the prohibitive favorite to win the fullback job and the numbers are pretty good when the King runs behind him. Jeremy McNichols may “make the roster” via the COVID19 list but he was unproductive in his carries. Brian Hill was similarly ineffective and injured so he was put on IR.
WR
1. Julio Jones
2. AJ Brown
3. Josh Reynolds
4. Chester Rogers
5. Marcus Johnson
6. Mason Kinsey
- Receiver was the hottest of hotly contested position battles for the team throughout the process. The top three are what they are. Four through six were very much in play through every game it seems like. Fourth-round rookie Dez Fitzpatrick fails to make the final cut due to his poor play while second-year UDFA Mason Kinsey sneaks it in with outstanding play. Johnson is a definite injury risk so his spot may be in jeopardy but he reportedly has had great practices. Rogers played his way onto the roster with great special teams value. Also in play: Cameron Batson, Nick Westbrook-Ikhine, and Dez Fitzpatrick. There will be some teams salivating over this position when the Titans make their cuts.
TE
1. Anthony Firkser
2. Geoff Swaim
3. Luke Stocker
- The spots behind Firkser are very tenuous as Swaim is in the protocol and the remaining tight ends did not impress. Stocker has prior experience with the team but has virtually no positives as a receiver. Expect the Titans to take a long hard look at the wire for help at this position. Free agents like Trey Burton could be of some use.
OT
Taylor Lewan
David Quessenberry
Ty Sambrailo
Kendall Lamm
Dillon Radunz
- Nothing new has changed since the last update. The Titans know their hierarchy on the team. Radunz struggled a lot during the preseason so it’s likely that he doesn’t see a lot of reps barring injury. Lamm and Sambrailo are battling for the starting right tackle job and it hasn’t been settled yet.
OG
Nate Davis
Rodger Saffold
Aaron Brewer
- Saffold and Davis are the entrenched starters and Brewer can play center in a pinch. The team could trawl the wire for depth purposes though.
C
Ben Jones
- Jones has been the starter for years and faced very little challenge this season. His backup, Daniel Munyer was injured in the last preseason game and could be waived/injured as a result.
DEFENSE
DL
1. Jeffery Simmons
2. Teair Tart
3. Denico Autry
4. Larell Murchison
5. Anthony Rush
- No major surprises for the defensive line group as the top three were guaranteed their roster spots long before camp started. Murchison and Rush were in a bit of a pickle but Rush looks like the new Teair Tart aka the UDFA who surprisingly makes the roster and glows up.
OLB
1. Bud Dupree
2. Harold Landry
3. Rashad Weaver
4. Derick Roberson
5. Ola Adeniyi
- Weaver really made a name for himself as the leading contender for the third EDGE during the preseason. Roberson has been uber-productive when called upon in the past. Adeniyi makes the team as a versatile special-teams type of linebacker with nominal ST ace Nick Dzubnar in the COVID protocol and failing to make an impact otherwise. This could be another position that the team looks for on the wire.
ILB
1. Jayon Brown
2. Rashaan Evans
3. David Long, Jr
4. Monty Rice
- Same lineup here for the inside guys, nothing to see here. Rice is safe as a third-round pick and he flashed a little during the preseason. David Long, Jr really seems poised as the eventual starter besides Jayon Brown as Evans has proved ineffective at times.
CB
1. Jackrabbit “Janoris” Jenkins
2. Kristian Fulton
3. Elijah Molden
4. Chris Jackson
5. Caleb Farley
6. Breon Borders
- Same song, different verse for the cornerback group as well. Molden really flashed his potential during the second preseason game against Tampa Bay. He along with Jackson has safety versatility as well. The big three on opening day should be Jenkins, Jackson, and Fulton if it were tomorrow. Borders sticks as a veteran who has shown some flashes in the past with the team in regular-season play. Farley did well given his lack of time due to an injury suffered in college.
S
1. Kevin Byard
2. Amani Hooker
3. Bradley McDougald
4. Mattias Farley
5. Dane Cruikshank
- McDougald makes it over Clayton Geathers in the battle of camp signees. He just did more during the preseason by a smidge and has special teams experience. Farley and Cruikshank make it despite DC’s health concerns. I wouldn’t be surprised if the team looks on the wire for a safety either. Hooker has emerged as a viable starter after a couple of years of development.
Special Teams
K - Sam Ficken
P - Brett Kern
LS - Morgan Cox
- Ficken seized the job during the second preseason game and his practice performance but Tucker McCann didn’t make it easy until a dirty hit in the Falcons game ruined it. Kern is Punt Gawd, enough said. Cox was a free-agent signee during the offseason and didn’t hurt his chances at all. Could there be a free agent option like Joey Slye or soon-to-be free agents Zane Gonzalez, Austin Seibert, or Tommy Townsend, Jake Verity?
OFFENSE - 25
DEFENSE - 25
ST - 3