Throughout the past week I’ve looked at how Jonathan Taylor fits with most of his potential draft destinations.
In this edition of NFL Draft Tinder I look at the final two spots Taylor has been mocked to go: The Tennessee Titans and the New Orleans Saints.
Both of these teams are far less likely to draft Taylor than teams like the Miami Dolphins and Buffalo Bills due to their lack of a need at running back, draft position and other team needs. However, though unlikely, I really like both of these fits for Taylor.
Here’s the Jonathan Taylor edition of NFL Draft Tinder, volume four.
The Tennessee Titans.
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Yes, they still have Derrick Henry who is coming off an unbelievable season during which he led the league in rushing during the regular season and ran for 446 yards in three postseason contests.
What isn’t being talked about, though, is that Henry is set to play under the franchise tag in 2020 and although reports say him and the Titans are set on working out a long-term extension, the Titans could still search for a backup plan if those talks aren’t successful.
In total, Taylor’s fit with the Titans is a great one, and would be perfect if Henry wasn’t signed for 2020.
The Titans check the boxes at head coach, offensive line (8th-best line during the 2019 season according to ProFootballFocus), front office, run scheme and recent success at the position.
So, if the Henry talks stall somehow and the Titans look to Taylor as a cheaper and younger option to replace Henry, I see the fit working extremely well.
The New Orleans Saints
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This is a really interesting one.
USA Today’s latest 3-round mock draft has the Saints grabbing Taylor at No. 24, as the article reads “Sure, there may be bigger needs elsewhere, and running backs in the first round aren’t exactly en vogue anymore. But the Saints need to make the most of whatever time Drew Brees has left, and Mark Ingram’s departure left a void in their ground game that left the offense unbalanced.”
In essence, Taylor would be the replacement for Ingram after he signed with the Baltimore Ravens before last season. When Ingram and Alvin Kamara were together in the backfield in New Orleans they were the most lethal running back tandem in the league. Now, if Taylor, a similar back to Ingram, lands in New Orleans he would no doubt return the Saints’ backfield to its pre-2019 form.
The only thing that doesn’t make this fit a perfect one is Brees’ age and the lack of a succession plan for when he retires. No, I do not believe Taysom Hill to be a great option at quarterback for when Brees retires.
Aside from that, the Saints check all the boxes with a great offensive line (5th-best in the league in 2019 according to ProFootballFocus), a great head coach and a winning culture since they acquired Brees in 2006.
Thus, in total, this would be a successful fit for Taylor (and would probably mean he’d be the first running back taken at No. 24).