Tag: Ran Carthon

Patriots’ miss on Calvin Ridley looks even worse with latest comments

Did the Patriots drop the ball in the failed Calvin Ridley signing?

Free agent wide receiver Calvin Ridley was thought to be a surefire New England Patriots target at one point.

In fact, the Tennessee Titans didn’t even think they would have a chance at landing him. Titans general manager Ran Carthon made interesting comments earlier this week about landing the wide receiver.

Ridley is coming off a productive season with the Jacksonville Jaguars. He tallied 76 catches for 1,016 yards and eight touchdowns. He was a major weapon for the Jaguars last year and could have served in the role of No. 1 wideout in New England.

Instead, he fell into the lap of Tennessee, which took Carthon by surprise.

“To actually have the opportunity to even consider him was something that we had a part of our plan, but in our mind, really, it was more of a pipe dream. Can we afford these guys and get Ridley?” Carthon said.

Hearing these comments really illustrates how Ridley was up for grabs.

Patriots owner Robert Kraft claimed missing out on Ridley was not due to financial difficulties, but it does make you wonder if the Patriots could’ve made a harder push.

Titans GM Ran Carthon again stresses OT depth in draft

Titans GM Ran Carthon once again expressed a high opinion of the tackle group in this year’s draft class.

The Tennessee Titans have yet to make a move at left tackle this offseason, and the expectation is the team will look to add its long-term solution at some point in the 2024 NFL draft.

The consensus is the Titans will take Notre Dame left tackle Joe Alt with the No. 7 overall pick if he’s still on the board.

But the good news is, if Alt isn’t there, the Titans will still have plenty of options to address what is currently their biggest need thanks to a draft class that is rather deep at the position.

When asked about the Titans’ situation at the position and options on the free-agent market, general manager Ran Carthon once again mentioned how deep the draft class is at the tackle position.

“There are still good players (on the free-agent market), players who have played a ton of snaps in this league,” Carthon said. “Not to get too far ahead, but this tackle draft class is pretty deep. Like we always do, we’re going to find the best option for us and hopefully make the right decision.”

Carthon previously touched on the offensive line depth in the draft during the NFL Combine, noting that it could allow the Titans to take a wide receiver with the seventh pick and still address their O-line need later.

That was before the Calvin Ridley signing, though, so things may have changed as far as that specific line of thinking is concerned.

Knowing Carthon’s high opinion of the tackle group in this year’s class, it wouldn’t be totally shocking to see the Titans opt for that route considering Tennessee might be back in the same boat with a wide receiver issue in 2025 if DeAndre Hopkins doesn’t return after the final year of his deal.

Don’t be surprised if the Titans opt for one of the top-three receivers in this year’s class over Alt if that option is on the table. A trade back is also under consideration with the Titans lacking a third-round pick. If Tennessee were to trade back to the teens, there will still be tackle options available there.

In reality, the Titans should just grab Alt if he’s on the board and be done with it, but don’t rule out a different approach – whether that be a selection of a wide receiver, a player at a different position entirely, or a trade back — once the Titans are on the clock.

One thing we do know for certain is that the Titans still need to address the position in free agency to give themselves an insurance policy just in case things don’t fall their way, or the guy they select isn’t ready in Year 1.

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Titans owner found out about Calvin Ridley signing from reports

Titans GM Ran Carthon said news of the Calvin Ridley signing broke so fast that owner Amy Adams Strunk found out about it through the media.

The Tennessee Titans signing Calvin Ridley was a fast-moving process, and so much so that owner Amy Adams Strunk found out about it through the media before general manager Ran Carthon could tell her about it.

Carthon said he kept his boss in the loop about the team targeting Ridley, but news of the signing broke before he could tell Adams Strunk it was official.

“To show you how this world works now, we get the deal done, the deal gets agreed to,” Carthon explained. “So, we’re in the office, we’re having a moment, and in this particular moment, it was myself, it was (assistant GM) Chad (Brinker), it was (head coach Brian Callahan) and (offensive coordinator) Nick Holz.

“So, we’re high-fiving and bro-hugging and doing all that, and so we’re like, ‘hey, let’s get Calvin on the phone, let’s congratulate him.’ So — literally, this is all happening within 90 seconds — we call Calvin, we’re FaceTiming him and we’re excited and he’s excited and then my phone beeps and it’s Mrs. Amy. And I pick up the phone and I’m like, ‘Hello,’ and she’s like, ‘Is this true?’ And I’m like, ‘Is what true?’ And she was like, ‘Did we just get Calvin Ridley?’ And I’m like, what the hell? Is it out already? We’re on the phone with him right now, congratulating him that we got this done.”

Carthon added that, at first, signing Ridley was a “pipe dream” but became possible once re-signing Denico Autry and Azeez Al-Shaair didn’t happen.

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Titans’ Ran Carthon won’t rule out rookie LB, different position wearing green dot

Titans GM Ran Carthon is open to all possibilities as far as the green dot is concerned.

With the Tennessee Titans losing their leader on defense in Azeez Al-Shaair, the team is going to be looking for someone new to wear the green dot in 2024.

Right now, all eyes are on Kenneth Murray, who is the only linebacker on the roster with multiple years of starting experience. However, there is doubt about how well the former Los Angeles Charger will handle that duty, although he does have experience with it.

During the introductory press conference for cornerback L’Jarius Sneed on Tuesday (highlights here), general manager Ran Carthon said the team hasn’t broached the subject with Murray yet.

“We haven’t crossed that bridge yet,” Carthon said, according to ESPN’s Turron Davenport. “Honestly, we don’t even have (Murray) in the building right now. He’ll be here next week. Once (the players) are able to get with our coaches, I totally trust (linebackers) coach (Frank) Bush and (defensive coordinator) Dennard (Wilson) to figure out who will be the best to lead that group and get them lined up.”

It’s very possible the player who wears the green dot isn’t even on the roster yet, and that could include a rookie, something Carthon is open to. He also pointed out how a different position could take on the responsibility.

“(Fred Warner’s) first year, he was the green dot,” Carthon said. “So it’s all about that person and what that person is comfortable with. And if they’re able to handle the communication and they’re a three-down player, then they’ll be out there.

“I’ve seen teams — I want to say it was Eric Weddle, when he was with the Chargers and when he was with the Rams, he wore the green dot,” Carthon added. “So it doesn’t necessarily have to be a linebacker that does the communication, it’s just about finding that person that’s going to be able to do that and still effectively do their job.”

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Titans GM Ran Carthon talks L’Jarius Sneed trade: ‘It’s a huge get’

Titans GM Ran Carthon spoke about the L’Jarius Sneed trade after the team made it official on Friday.

The Tennessee Titans finally made their trade for cornerback L’Jarius Sneed official on Friday and general manager Ran Carthon shared his thoughts on the move.

“It’s a huge get,” Carthon said, according to Jim Wyatt. “It gives you three top-flight corners in him and Chidobe (Awuzie) and Roger (McCreary) that can just flat-out cover people. He matches Chido’s energy of being a physical, aggressive corner that can also play in run support. You see a lot of the way game is going with the toss crack, and forcing the corners to come up there and play more in run support, and we have guys who are willing to stick their face in there and tackle people.”

Sneed’s name had come up in trade rumors all offseason, with the Titans regularly being connected to the lockdown cornerback.

Carthon noted how patience was important in the process.

“You just remain patient,” he said. “You did your due diligence prior to them franchising him, and then when he was franchised, you kind of got a feel on where it could possibly go.

“And then (the Chiefs) got the deal done with Chris Jones. You study other teams and try and figure out where they are, so it was one of those things where we used a patient and diligent approach, and when the opportunity presented itself, we were in a position to do it, and we made it happen.

“And, it took effort from both teams to get it done.”

On top of the trade, the Titans reportedly inked Sneed to a four-year, $76.2 million deal that includes $55 million guaranteed and a $20 million signing bonus.

The annual average ($19.05 million) and guaranteed money rank eighth and fifth among cornerbacks, respectively, per Over the Cap.

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Titans’ Ran Carthon open to everything with No. 7 pick

Titans GM Ran Carthon said “everything is on the table” with the No. 7 overall pick.

We are less than one month away from the 2024 NFL draft and the consensus for what the Tennessee Titans will do with their No. 7 overall pick has the team selecting Notre Dame left tackle Joe Alt.

But the Titans have to keep all options on the table at this point, as there’s no guarantee Alt will even be there when Tennessee is on the clock. If he’s not, the team could address a different position, or simply trade back entirely to secure more picks.

When asked about the team’s No. 7 overall pick while down at the annual league meetings this week, Titans general manager Ran Carthon said all options are currently on the table.

“Everything is on the table with where we are,” Carthon said, per Jim Wyatt. “You can say you want to trade out, but in order to trade, you need a partner. So, we’ll see where we are.”

As far as all the speculation about what Tennessee could do, Carthon admitted even his daughter is getting caught up in it.

“It is so funny, everybody has all these speculations about what we could and could not do,” Carthon said. “Even my 16-year-old daughter texted me the other day: ‘Hey, are we taking this tackle that everybody has us taking?’ She is now looking at the mocks and asking what will happen.

“So, it is going to be interesting. We’ll see where we are. But everything is on the table.”

Most experts agree that the tackle class is very deep this year, and that’s something Carthon subscribes to, saying “this tackle class is really deep, so there are going to be valuable guys throughout the draft.”

I firmly believe the Titans are going to take Alt at No. 7 if he’s there. But the good news is, if he’s not, Tennessee may still be able land a quality left tackle later in the draft.

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Grade for Titans’ signing of WR Calvin Ridley

Bryce Lazenby shares his grade for the Titans’ signing of WR Calvin Ridley.

The Tennessee Titans made waves on Wednesday by agreeing to terms with free-agent wide receiver Calvin Ridley. The deal elicited strong reactions from fans and media members alike.

The free agency strategy the Titans are going with is much more aggressive than it has been in years past. The team added at positions of need with the signings of Tony Pollard, Lloyd Cushenberry, Kenneth Murray, Chidobe Awuzie, and the aforementioned Ridley, among others.

Ridley will immediately come in and fill a huge need for the Titans. In 2023, DeAndre Hopkins led all Titans receivers with 75 catches. No other wideout on the team had even 30 catches on the year.

In 2023 for the Jacksonville Jaguars, Ridley came down with 76 catches for 1,016 yards and eight touchdowns. The speedster has no problem creating separation, which is a trait the Titans the desperately need on their roster.

As for the financials, Ridley earned a massive deal. The receiver is signing a four-year, $92 million deal that includes $50 million guaranteed.

Ridley’s contract is tied for the 10th among wide receivers in both guaranteed money and annual average and, after top wide receivers like Justin Jefferson, Ceedee Lamb and Ja’Marr Chase sign extensions, Ridley’s deal will rank even lower.

The Titans needed more speed and more explosiveness, and Ridley provides both. It’s also worth mentioning that Ridley only played in five games in 2021 and missed the entire 2022 season, so his age of 29 is a little deceptive.

Ridley should have plenty of gas in the tank and immediately upgrades one of the team’s weakest areas. The Titans paid a premium, but they did what they had to do to get more weapons.

Grade: A

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Grade for Titans’ signing of LB Kenneth Murray

Bryce Lazenby gives his grade for the Titans’ signing of LB Kenneth Murray.

The Tennessee Titans have been busy in free agency thus far. The team has been aggressive in adding to its areas of need and has shelled out a nice sum of money to improve the roster.

The Titans wrapped up the first day of legal tampering by agreeing to a deal with linebacker Kenneth Murray, who was officially introduced at a press conference on Thursday.

Murray is a former first-round pick who spent the first four seasons of his career with the Los Angeles Chargers.

Murray’s tenure in Los Angeles was a mixed bag, with his best season coming in his rookie campaign in 2020. That season, Murray racked up 107 tackles, five tackles for loss, one sack and three passes defensed.

For his performance as a rookie, Murray earned a 54.4 PFF grade, which is still the highest grade he has received from the outlet during his career.

In 2023, Murray again had 107 tackles to go along with three sacks and seven tackles for loss. PFF gave the linebacker a 52.9 grade for his efforts.

Murray, who received a two-year, $15.5 million deal, has all of the traits you look for in a middle linebacker.

The former Oklahoma Sooner has elite speed and size but simply hasn’t been able to put it all together as a pro. Murray struggles in pass coverage but is decent against the run and is a solid tackler.

Overall, this isn’t a huge commitment, so it could be a low-risk, high-reward move, and Murray is still young and may thrive with a change of scenery. Still, it’s hard not to admit that there were better options available at inside linebacker.

Grade: C-

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Grade for Titans’ expected signing of CB Chidobe Awuzie

Bryce Lazenby gives the Titans a near-perfect grade for their expected signing of CB Chidobe Awuzie.

The Tennessee Titans were busy to start the legal tampering period on Monday.

The team started things off by reportedly agreeing to terms with running back Tony Pollard. Then, the team pivoted to the offensive line and agreed to a deal with Lloyd Cushenberry

In the afternoon, the Titans turned their attention to the defense and agreed to a deal with veteran cornerback Chidobe Awuzie, who was the first of two defensive signings, along with linebacker Kenneth Murray.

Awuzie is a solid veteran who racked up 57 tackles and six passes defensed in 2023 for the Cincinnati Bengals. For his performance, Awuzie earned a 62.6 PFF grade.

For reference, Roger McCreary was the only Titans corner to score a higher grade than Awuzie last season.

The addition of Awuzie is even more critical after the news of Sean Murphy-Bunting agreeing to a deal with the Arizona Cardinals. Awuzie will step into the outside corner role and will help mentor a young Titans secondary.

As far as compensation, Awuzie will reportedly get a three-year deal worth $36 million, with $23 million guaranteed.

That averages out to $12 million per season, which is the 14th-highest average salary among all corners in the league, according to Spotrac. Awuzie checks in at 15th among corners in guaranteed money.

So, while the number seems large, this could end up being a bargain for the Titans if Awuzie plays up to his potential.

In 2021, Awuzie collected 64 tackles, two interceptions, and 14 passes defensed passes. PFF awarded the corner an elite 83.3 grade for his performance in that season.

The 28-year-old tore his ACL in 2022 in the midst of a great season and didn’t quite regain his form in 2023. However, with another offseason of healing, Awuzie could be right back to his pre-injury form.

The Titans needed a reliable, veteran corner, and Awuzie is just that. In a weak corner market, the Titans got arguably the best option at a reasonable price. It’s hard to be mad at that.

Grade: A

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When Titans’ Callahan, Carthon will speak to media during NFL Combine

Both Titans head coach Brian Callahan and general manager Ran Carthon will speak to the media during the 2024 NFL Combine in Indianapolis.

This year’s NFL Combine from Indianapolis is just days away and both Tennessee Titans head coach Brian Callahan and general manager Ran Carthon will speak to the media during the event.

Prospect drills don’t begin until Thursday, Feb. 29, but head coaches, general managers and prospects will address the media in the days prior — and we now know when Callahan and Carthon will have their time.

Both Carthon and Callahan will speak to the media on Tuesday, with Carthon taking the podium at 10:15 a.m. and Callahan at 10:45 a.m. EST.

Here’s a look at the full combine press conference schedule, per The Draft Network’s Ryan Fowler.

You can check out the full schedule for the 2024 NFL Combine, complete with dates and times for prospect workouts, right here.

The combine is no doubt the biggest pre-draft event and it can make or break some, depending on how they perform.

But it isn’t the last chance prospects have to show their stuff, as there will be pro days between the culmination of the combine and the 2024 NFL draft, which begins on April 25.

Tennessee has a total of seven picks in this year’s draft, with one in the first, second, fourth, fifth and sixth rounds, and three in the seventh.

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