3 RGs Seahawks should consider trading for before NFL trade deadline

3 RGs Seahawks should consider trading for before NFL trade deadline

The right guard position has been a constant thorn in the Seattle Seahawks’ backside. Regular starter Anthony Bradford has routinely struggled, posting a pass-blocking grade of 46.9, according to Pro Football Focus. Bradford has also been whistled for a league-high seven penalties this season.

Bradford’s struggles led the Seahawks to rotate rookie guard Christian Haynes into the lineup during the Week 4 contest versus the Detroit Lions. Bradford handled 54 snaps while Haynes, who performed better, earned 36 snaps. The Seahawks may employ a similar strategy against the New York Giants in Week 5.

The NFL trade deadline is approximately one month away (November 4). The 3-1 Seahawks are legitimate contenders. General manager John Schneider should consider acquiring a right guard via trade. We’ve identified three potential options.

Daniel Brunskill, Tennessee Titans

Daniel Brunskill started at right guard for the Tennessee Titans last season. He put forth better results than what Bradford and Haynes are providing, being whistled for just one penalty all year long. Brunskill was credited with allowing just two sacks via 768 total snaps by Pro Football Focus, earning a stellar pass-blocking grade of 67.7.

Tennessee’s new coaching staff decided to bench Brunskill this campaign, inserting a bigger-bodied player (Dillon Radunz) into his spot in the starting lineup. Brunskill is slightly undersized, but he put together a solid season at right guard in 2023. He’s in a contract year and could be available for very cheap as the Titans are a rebuilding 1-3.

Wyatt Teller, Cleveland Browns

The struggling 1-3 Cleveland Browns recently placed veteran right guard Wyatt Teller on IR, but he’s eligible to be activated roughly one week prior to the trade deadline (October 27). Rookie guard Zak Zinter is starting in Teller’s place. The rebuilding Browns should consider giving the much younger Zinter an extended look.

Teller remains under contract through 2025, carrying manageable cap charges of $11.6 million and $14.4 million this campaign and next, according to OverTheCap. Teller’s contract is complicated, because it also contains a void year (2026). The proven veteran could land on the trading block if the Browns continue falling behind in the postseason race.

Cody Whitehair, Las Vegas Raiders

The Las Vegas Raiders are preparing to trade superstar wide receiver Davante Adams. This could incite general manager Tom Telesco to hold a fire sale at the trade deadline. The Raiders must stack as much draft capital as possible heading into the 2025 NFL Draft.

Whitehair has started for the Raiders this season, but they also possess a young duo at guard on the roster in Jackson Powers-Johnson and Dylan Parham. Powers-Johnson should soon permanently replace Whitehair at guard. The 2016 draftee would add experience to the Seahawks’ offensive line.

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5 Titans who could get a contract extension in 2024

A look at five Titans who are under contract for 2024 that could get an extension this year.

The Tennessee Titans have a slew of free agents to make decisions on this offseason, but there are also some players who are under contract for 2024 that could become candidates for an extension at some point, either before or during the upcoming season.

While the Titans will re-sign some of those pending free agents, I wouldn’t exactly consider that an extension, thus none of the 27 players set to hit the open market in March will be included in this list.

With that in mind, here’s a look at five players who are under contract for 2024 that could be candidates for a contract extension at some point before they hit free agency in 2025.

Titans offseason preview at IOL: Pending free agents, biggest needs

In our latest offseason preview for the Titans, we take a look at the situation on the interior of the offensive line.

The Tennessee Titans are set to rebuild their offensive line in 2024 after what was a terrible year for the group upfront in 2023.

However, the interior of the offensive line is in better shape than the tackle spots, with left guard being locked down by 2023 first-round pick, Peter Skoronski, who will return to his spot in his second season.

Right guard may also be spoken for after Daniel Brunskill proved to be a solid option there when healthy, but he doesn’t figure to be a lock.

Center remains the biggest question mark on the interior, with Aaron Brewer set to be a free agent following a season in which he was serviceable, at best.

Now, a look at Tennessee’s interior offensive linemen who are under contract and pending free agents, and what the team’s biggest needs are on the inside going into the 2024 offseason.

Titans add 2 to injury report ahead of game vs. Texans

The Titans added two players to the injury report on Saturday.

The Tennessee Titans have two more concerns going into their Week 15 game against the Houston Texans after the team added two starters to the injury report on Saturday.

The team announced it has added right guard Daniel Brunskill and linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair to the injury report, with both being listed with an illness. They are now questionable.

If Brunskill can’t go, the Titans will likely deploy fellow guard Calvin Throckmorton in his place like they did last week against the Miami Dolphins.

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The Titans will be extremely thin at linebacker if Al-Shaair doesn’t suit up. Their options to start alongside Jack Gibbens include Otis Reese, Luke Gifford and JoJo Domann, who has been elevated for this game.

Shuffling the injury report wasn’t the only action for the Titans on Saturday. On top of elevating Domann, defensive lineman Marlon Davidson has also been elevated, and the team promoted wide receiver Mason Kinsey while waiving defensive lineman Teair Tart.

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4 Titans producing high win rates through 10 games

Four Titans players rank inside the top 20 in win rates, but one of them is reportedly out for the season.

While this season has mostly been a disaster for the Tennessee Titans, they have had a few bright spots scattered across their roster.

Rookies Peter Skoronski, Will Levis, and Tyjae Spears have shown flashes of potential greatness and appear to have bright futures ahead of themselves. 

Derrick Henry and DeAndre Hopkins are future Hall of Famers who are still performing at high levels when given adequate opportunities.

On the defensive side of the ball, Jeffery Simmons is still a dominant player who needs more consistency around him, while Harold Landry is slowly getting healthier and more productive with each passing week.

Outside of those seven and the specialists, it’s really slim pickings in Tennessee right now.

The Titans do have a few players on both sides of the ball who are doing well in terms of win rates. Per ESPN Analytics, the Titans have four players who rank inside the top 20 at their respective positions.

Unfortunately, one of them — right tackle Chris Hubbard — is reportedly out for the season after suffering a significant injury in the team’s Week 11 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars.

If you take Hubbard away, the Titans still have three active players who made the cut heading into Week 12, so let’s find out who they are and where they rank.

Titans injury updates: Treylon Burks, Daniel Brunskill, SMB, more

Titans head coach Mike Vrabel provided injury updates on four different players on Wednesday.

Tennessee Titans head coach Mike Vrabel met with the media on Wednesday before practice and gave injury updates on a handful of players ahead of the Week 11 contest against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Among the players Vrabel mentioned were wide receiver Treylon Burks, right guard Daniel Brunskill, cornerback Sean Murphy-Bunting and left tackle Andre Dillard. In addition, SMB and Brunskill added to the information given by their head coach.

Brunskill (ankle), Burks (concussion) and SMB (thumb) sat out last week’s game while Dillard (concussion) exited early. Here’s a look at the updates Vrabel provided for each.

Titans injury updates: Daniel Brunskill, Sean Murphy-Bunting

Injury updates on Titans RG Daniel Brunskill and CB Sean Murphy-Bunting.

While the status of Tennessee Titans right guard Daniel Brunskill remains up in the air, it appears the team will be without one of its starting cornerbacks, Sean Murphy-Bunting, in Week 10.

According to head coach Mike Vrabel, Murphy-Bunting, who exited the Week 9 game after one series with a thumb injury, will not practice once again on Wednesday and is doubtful to play in Week 10.

This is obviously a big blow for Tennessee’s defense, as SMB has been arguably the team’s best cornerback this season in a secondary that has struggled mightily overall.

He’ll likely be replaced by second-year cornerback Tre Avery, who has given up completions on 85 percent of the passes thrown his way (17-of-20) for 141 yards and one touchdown in seven games played.

As for Brunskill, Vrabel didn’t provide a status for his chances of playing against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers but we now know he’s dealing with an ankle injury. The veteran right guard was spotted with a brace on his right ankle before practice.

While the outlook for Brunskill isn’t great right now, Terry McCormick of Titan Insider did report on Tuesday that he’s expected to play through his injury.

The Titans’ options to replace Brunskill are Dillon Radunz and Corey Levin, but the Titans should roll with the latter and allow Radunz to take over at left tackle instead of running Andre Dillard back out there with Nicholas Petit-Frere on the shelf.

The Titans may also have a void at right tackle if Chris Hubbard can’t return from a concussion, but the veteran is on track to play after it was revealed on Tuesday he’d practice this week.

Even if Hubbard sits, Dillard still shouldn’t be an option upfront after another disastrous showing in Week 9. Instead, Radunz and rookie Jaelyn Duncan should get the call at left and right tackle, respectively.

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Titans injury updates after Week 9: Treylon Burks, offensive linemen

Some injury updates on Titans WR Treylon Burks and multiple offensive linemen.

The Tennessee Titans were dealing with some injuries going into their Week 9 game against the Pittsburgh Steelers and now have more to worry about after the game.

The most notable of the bunch was wide receiver Treylon Burks, who was involved in a scary moment after he was down on the field for a while following his attempt to catch a pass in the fourth quarter.

Thankfully, Burks avoided serious injury and was able to make his way to the team’s facility on Friday, but he is in the concussion protocol, head coach Mike Vrabel revealed.

“He’s on his way in,” Vrabel said, per Jim Wyatt. “He is in concussion protocol. There was a brief loss of consciousness, that’s why (medical personnel) reacted in the manner in which they did.

“It sounds like everybody did exactly what they were supposed to do based on the protocol and making sure Treylon’s well being was looked over as quickly and correctly as possible.”

The Titans saw four different starting offensive linemen leave the field during the game, with center Aaron Brewer being the only one who didn’t. Nicholas Petit-Frere was the only injured player who didn’t return.

Vrabel said it was too early to know about their statuses, as each are undergoing tests to determine what they’re dealing with.

“It’s too soon right now,” he said. “Guys are just getting MRIs. Give Daniel Brunskill a lot of credit for competing, and fighting through some sort of injury. Nick couldn’t finish, and pretty much all of them went down for a snap or two. We’ll know more after this weekend, and how everyone is feeling.”

Vrabel also added that right tackle Chris Hubbard, who missed Week 9 with a concussion, could return to practice next week.

Another notable injury happened to cornerback Sean Murphy-Bunting, who left after the first series of the game with a thumb injury. There was no update with SMB as of Friday.

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5 Titans players among leaders in win rates

Five Titans players are among the top 20 in win rates, according to ESPN analytics.

The Tennessee Titans have collectively had a disappointing start to their 2023 season.

The hardest pill to swallow through six weeks is that a lot of the national media and people outside the fanbase were right about the perception they had of this team.

Not many people who pay very close attention to the Titans had them starting the year 2-4, especially following their massive addition of wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins.

However, that’s the reality of where the Titans currently are at heading into their Week 7 bye.

Despite the adversity, the Titans have had a few individual bright spots scattered across the roster. According to ESPN Analytics, the Titans have five players who ranked inside the top 20 at their respective positions in win rates.

In total, Tennessee has three defenders and two o-linemen who cracked the lists after the first six weeks of the season. Let’s find out exactly who they are and where each of them landed.

3 Titans rank inside top 20 in win-rate categories after 5 games

Three Titans players rank inside the top 20 in win-rate categories at their respective positions through five weeks.

The Tennessee Titans haven’t had the start to the 2023 season that many of us envisioned. The unfortunate truth is that Tennessee is currently a talented, yet inconsistent football team that is constantly alternating between strong and underwhelming performances.

Fortunately, they do have a few bright spots in terms of win rate.

According to ESPN analytics, right tackle Chris Hubbard, right guard Daniel Brunskill and outside linebacker Arden Key are all ranking inside the top 20 in a three notable categories.

Brunskill has the sixth-highest run-block win rate among all interior linemen through five weeks, winning 78 percent of his run-block attempts (92-of-118) while only receiving help on 51 percent of them.

Key, has the 11th-highest pass-rush win rate at his position, winning 24 percent of his pass-rushes (16-of-66) while also being one of nine edge rushers who are double-teamed at least 20 percent of the time (22 percent).

Lastly, Hubbard is entering Week 6 with the 17th-highest pass-block win rate at the offensive tackle position. The UAB product has won approximately 91 percent of his reps in pass-pro (82-of-90). However, it should be noted that he is receiving double-team help at the second-highest rate (47 percent) among those offensive tackles that ranked inside the top 20.

These three have routinely ranked inside the top 20 at their respective positions. Let’s hope this trend continues and Tennessee can add more players to the lists as the season progresses.

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