The Titans should be looking to add an EDGE at some point this offseason.
The Tennessee Titans don’t exactly have a ton of tweaks to make ahead of the 2020 season, which was clear to see as the team came up just one game short of playing in Super Bowl LIV.
But there are still some small things to improve upon that can be addressed both in free agency and the 2020 NFL Draft.
And in the first round of the latter, Touchdown Wire’s Mark Schofield has the Titans taking Wisconsin outside linebacker Zack Baun to fill their need for a pass-rusher.
“They (the Titans) do have some decisions to make, and recent reports are that they will use the franchise tag on running back Derrick Henry and let Ryan Tannehill test free agency, according to reporting from Matthew Berry of ESPN, citing a Titans’ insider,” he wrote.
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“If they do not use the tag on Henry, then running back would be a need, and Jonathan Taylor from Wisconsin would be a smart pick at this spot in the draft. Assuming that both Henry and Tannehill are back, they could go elsewhere with this pick. Zack Baun, the Wisconsin outside linebacker, makes a good bit of sense for the Titans. He is a very versatile player that the Badgers left on the field for all three downs, and used as a pass rusher off the edge in a three-point stance as well as more of an overhang defender in space. He has the athleticism to run with tight ends, but the motor to get after the passer. He could really help this defense up front.”
The Titans’ defense in general will be interesting to watch, as head coach Mike Vrabel is expected to be heavily involved after the departure of former defensive coordinator Dean Pees.
Whether or not the Titans choose to add Baun to the mix remains to be seen, but there’s no question that he brings a lot of potential to the table.
With the Combine in the rear view mirror, whose stock is rising, whose is falling and how has the board potentially changed?
Ah, mock draft season. With Indianapolis behind us, we can now start to imagine how the draft could play out given what we saw from the prospects at the 2020 Scouting Combine. Whose stock is rising, whose is falling, and how could — I repeat, how could — that impact the draft?
Here’s just one man’s shot at putting it together.
We can work our way into this mock with a selection that makes the most sense. The Bengals are moving on from Andy Dalton, and Joe Burrow’s magical season has rocketed him to the top of many draft boards. His decision-making, pocket presence and leadership abilities are perfect for what Cincinnati needs right now. Plus, the storyline of “local boy comes home” is sure to get fans excited.
Schematically, Burrow is a fit for what Bengals head coach Zac Taylor is looking to do offensively. With some weapons around him and some additions to the offensive line, Burrow could be in position to contribute early in his career.
2. Washington Redskins: Chase Young, EDGE, Ohio State
(Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sport)
There does seem to be some smoke building around the idea of Washington doing this year what the Arizona Cardinals did a season ago: Let a new regime pick their quarterback. Last year the Cardinals hired Kliff Kingsbury and let him pick the quarterback he wanted to build around. The result? Arizona moved on from Josh Rosen after a single season and drafted Kyler Murray.
Could the same thing happen to Dwayne Haskins? Rumors around Indianapolis last week seemed to indicate that it was at least a possibility. Washington reportedly met with Tua Tagovailoa and the South Florida Sun Sentinel reported that new head coach Ron Rivera told the Alabama passer that, according to a source, “[t]hey want to bring in Tua, just get it going and compete.”
My thinking here is this: This is lying season. Most people believe the draft begins at the second pick, and Washington holds a lot of cards. They could stay pat and select the best overall player in the draft, the Ohio State edge rusher. But if a team is dying to move up to draft a quarterback, they’ll entertain offers. One way to drive up the price? Float the idea that you are in the quarterback market as well.
For now, I think these are all smoke screens. Washington stays pat and takes the pass rusher.
3. Detroit Lions: Jeff Okudah, CB, Ohio State
(Joe Maiorana-USA TODAY Sports)
Here is where things could really get sporty.
There are concerns in Detroit regarding the status of quarterback Matthew Stafford. Back injuries the past few seasons have some wondering if it is time to prepare for a world without Stafford in Detroit. The issue is, Stafford’s contract is such that it makes much more sense from a salary cap perspective to move on from Stafford in 2021, rather than 2020.
Under Stafford’s contract, if he were to be traded or cut before June 1st, the Lions would be hit with $32 million in dead cap space for 2020, and would have a cap “savings” of minus $10.7 million for the 2020 league year.
However, if they decide to move on from Stafford prior to 2021, they would actually free up around $14M of cap space.
So the thinking here could be: Draft Tagovailoa, redshirt him for a season while Stafford plays through 2020, and then move on when Tagovailoa is fully healthy and it makes more sense from a cap perspective.
So it is a possibility that the Lions could go with a quarterback here.
At the same time, Matt Patricia must be feeling the urge to win now, and the idea of drafting a quarterback to simply redshirt him while the flames are fanned under your seat cannot feel too pleasant. In the end Detroit entertains the idea of Tagovailoa, but goes with the potential shutdown corner in Okudah.
4. Los Angeles Chargers (via trade with New York Giants): Tua Tagovailoa, QB, Alabama
(Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
Now we have our first trade.
A running theme of this mock draft so far has been the Alabama quarterback. In the mix to Washington with the second pick. A potential option for Detroit with the third pick. Now this draft enters a stretch where quarterback is a possibility for a number of teams, including the Chargers at six and the Carolina Panthers at seven.
Tagovailoa has been linked to the Dolphins for a long time now, and the Chargers can read the tea leaves as well as anyone else. If they decide that Tagovailoa is their quarterback of the future, they’ll need to get in front of Miami to ensure that he is wearing the powder blues next season.
Conceptually, while there might be better fits for Tagovailoa’s skill-set, such as the Panthers as we argued yesterday, the Chargers will have the time to build around Tagovailoa and construct an offense around his strengths: His accuracy in the short area, his processing speed, and his familiarity with run/pass option designs.
5. Miami Dolphins: Justin Herbert, QB, Oregon
(Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports)
Interestingly enough, Miami might be just fine with the Chargers leap-frogging them, as they end up with the passer that some in the building have been targeting for over a year. It was just a year ago when reports out of Miami were that Dolphins’ owner Stephen Ross was interested in two quarterbacks: Tagovailoa and Herbert.
Now, with both an option for the Dolphins in this year’s draft, many have linked Miami to Tagovailoa. But the decision to hire Chan Gailey as their offensive coordinator does give them a potential schematic fit with both quarterbacks. As we argued yesterday, the Dolphins are a great fit for Herbert’s skill-set, given his background in Oregon’s spread system. That would ease his transition to the pro game, and with both Rosen and Ryan Fitzpatrick in place, they could potentially move one of those players late in training camp, depending on Herbert’s progress as a rookie this summer.
6. New York Giants (via trade with Los Angeles Chargers): Andrew Thomas, OT, Georgia
(AP Photo/Butch Dill)
New York Giants general manager Dave Gettleman said a number of things during his media session in Indianapolis that stuck with me. Two in particular. One I will take to heart, and the other I will ignore with this move to trade down and select the Georgia offensive tackle.
When addressing the media, Gettleman indicated that trading down does carry a bit of risk. What if you trade down, he theorized, from four to eight with four players that you like on your board? You might miss out on all of them is the fear he expressed.
But given how Gettleman could play the board, and still select one of the four impressive offensive tackles in this draft, gives him an option to pick up some additional selections in this draft and continue to build around Daniel Jones.
So while I dismissed the idea of Gettleman’s trade down fear, I will take to heart something else he said. He was asked about the most important position to help a young quarterback and he instantly delivered an incredible response: “Offensive line. I’ve found that it is hard to complete a pass when lying on your back.” And in, perhaps, a shot at all the discussion over Gettleman’s thoughts on analytics he added: “I’ve done that study.”
Here, the Giants trade back and get an NFL ready offensive tackle with experience on both the right and the left sides of the line. Given his SEC pedigree, Thomas has faced some imposing pass rushers during his time in Athens, and he’ll be ready to go up against some of what the NFL has to offer. The combine might have vaulted Tristan Wirfs and Mekhi Becton up many boards, but something tells me that Gettleman will value what Thomas put on tape.
The Panthers could go in a number of directions with this pick. Quarterback is in play, depending on what new head coach Matt Rhule decides to do with Cam Newton and how he handles Kyle Allen and last year’s draft pick Will Grier. Rhule has said all the right things about Newton, he likes Grier dating back to their games against each other in the Big 12, and Allen showed promise at times last year. So it is likely that Rhule keeps all three in Carolina and looks to address other needs.
Offensive line is also an area they could address, and given what we saw from Tristan Wirfs, Mekhi Becton at the combine as well as what we saw on film all season from Jedrick Wills Jr., any one of those players could be in play if the board falls this way.
They also have needs on the defensive side of the football. They could use help up front, they could use some help at linebacker in the wake of Luke Kuechly’s retirement, and they could also use some help in the secondary.
In Simmons, they could get help at all three levels of their defense. They would get a player who has lined up on the defensive line, in the slot, as a box safety and even as a boundary cornerback. They would also get an explosive athlete who posted a 4.39 40-yard dash at the combine, to go with a vertical leap of 39” and a broad jump of 11’. All while measuring in at 6’3 and ½” and weighing 238 pounds. He is an absolute freak of nature, and would revamp their defense in an instant.
In a draft that is talent-laden at the wide receiver position, we have yet to hear one WR called. That streak continues, as the Cardinals pass on every wide receiver on the board to address another glaring need: Offensive line. The Cardinals desperately need to protect Murray next season, and Becton can help in that effort.
Murray was sacked 48 times last season, tied with Russell Wilson and Matt Ryan for the most times sacked in the league. Now yes, sacks are not an offensive line statistic and the quarterback contributes to those sack totals, but the Cardinals do need to give him more time in the pocket. Murray was hurried 63 times last season, fifth-most in the league. With D.J. Humphries and Justin Murray as their starting tackles last season, this position could use a boost.
They get that in Becton. The massive left tackle showed some power and explosiveness both on film and during his combine workout. He has very fluid footwork for a man of his size, and his length will be an asset in Kingsbury’s offense. He could be the guy to protect Murray’s blindside for the next decade.
The Lions Wire staff has identified which linebackers Detroit Lions fans should be watching at the 2020 NFL Combine.
The 2020 NFL Combine on-field workouts begin Thursday, February 27th in Indianapolis but the linebackers won’t take the field until Saturday, February 29th. One interesting note about some of the players in this group is that while they will work out with the linebackers, they may play another role in the Lions scheme.
This is the latest in a series of articles leading up to this year’s NFL Combine, where the Lions Wire team has identified players they will be tracking in order to determine potential fits within the organization.
There are several on-field drills that emphasize a player’s abilities and the main areas Lions’ scouts will likely be focusing for the linebackers are:
Lateral movement should be smooth and quick.
Reaction to instructions, too many times prospects guess the command and make mistakes.
Can they turn and unlock their hips when dropping into coverage?
Head up and eyes on the ball.
Which linebackers take place in EDGE rushing drills? How do they perform under those expectations?
Isaiah Simmons, Clemson
Suggested by: Bryce Rossler
Simmons was a chess piece at Clemson, seeing snaps at free safety, strong safety, over the slot, outside linebacker, inside linebacker, and outside corner. And at the college level, he played all of them at a high level.
In the NFL, he likely won’t have that positional range, and depending on the scheme, he may be labeled either a linebacker or a safety. At the Combine, he will work out with the linebackers, but with the Lions, he would likely find the most success at the safety level, in Tavon Wilson’s role.
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Blessed with both speed and quickness, Simmons uses his rare athleticism to win in coverage, stop the run, and get home on disguised blitzes.
The Lions deploy three-safety sets roughly 50-percent of defensive snaps, and pairing him with Tracy Walker — along with last years third-rounder Will Harris in the third safety role — would give the Lions an instant upgrade in the secondary.
It's not hyperbole to say Clemson's Isaiah Simmons can do it all. His home is probably as an apex/overhang player, but he can move all around the defense and mold to any scheme. Simmons instantly redefines his team's defense. https://t.co/1JtQYM4bN3pic.twitter.com/uALKUFETdv
Baun played outside linebacker in Wisconsin 34 scheme, alternating between rushing the passer and dropping into coverage. Due to his build (6-2.5, 240, with 31.13″ arms) and skill set, he is better suited for an off-the-ball role, and with the Lions, he is a natural fit for the Christian Jones role.
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Comfortable operating in space, Baun is a plus athlete who uses his intelligence, instincts, lateral quickness, and internal drive to flow to the ball all over the field.
Josh Uche, Michigan
Suggested by: Scott Warheit
Uche spent his first few years at Michigan adding weight and learning techniques as a situational stand-up pass rusher before finally earning a starting role in 2019. Like Baun, Uche is comfortable bending the edge and dropping into space, but Uche’s arm length (33.25″) and athleticism, makes him a player who will spend more time rushing the passer.
At 241-pounds, Uche is a bit undersized to be an every-down JACK linebacker in the Lions scheme, but his ability to drop into coverage and insane speed/bend off the edge makes him a unique prospect that is the perfect fit at SAM and WILL linebacker spots in a multiple scheme.
Josh Uche (Michigan) and Bradlee Anae (Utah) have dominated the EDGE in this game pic.twitter.com/lxUVMKkoSr
After examining three hybrid defenders in Simmons, Baun, and Uche, Harrison represents the first true off-the-ball linebacker on this list. Harrison has the size (6-2.5, 246 at Senior Bowl), speed, range, and power the Lions look for at their MIKE and WILL positions. He is gap sound, a complete run defender, and has shown some cover skills, which would make him an instant competitor in most schemes.
Jordyn Brooks, Texas Tech
Suggested by: Matt Urben
With speed, athleticism, and plus instincts, Brooks (est. 6-0, 241) is not talked about enough in the Lions community. He is a downhill, productive, run-stuffing inside linebacker, who fits the mold of a Lions linebacker, including struggling to cover tight ends and running backs. If the Lions plan on moving on from Jarrad Davis when his contract expires after this season, Brooks could be a target to develop and mix into a starter rotation in 2021.
Akeem Davis-Gaither, Appalachian State
Suggested by: Sonja Greenfield and Derek Okrie
Like Simmons, Davis-Gaither (6-1.5, 219 at Senior Bowl) would be a hang defender in the Lions scheme, but without the range to play deep safety. Davis-Gaither can rush the passer, cover the slot, and will be one of the quickest athletes on the field at any given time. If you like Miles Killebrew, then you’ll love Davis-Gaither, as he can do a lot of the same things Killebrew can, but with less power and more speed.
Troy Dye, Oregon
Suggested by: Max Gerber
Like Davis-Gaither, Dye (est. 6-3, 218) is another hang defender with speed to burn and strong tackling skills. In Detroit, he would play in the Killebrew role as a potential four-down defender, who would backup at WILL linebacker, see coverage work in obvious passing situations, with his skills truly shining on special teams.
Evan Weaver, California
Suggested by: Erik Schlitt
When watching Senior Bowl practices, Weaver stood out for being gap sound, recognizing the play early, and beating the offensive player to the correct hole. He has terrific football instincts and his anticipation shows up rep after rep. He attacks downhill with tenacity but won’t win any athleticism competitions, and at 6-2, 239 pounds, fits the profile of a Lions linebacker.
Shaq Quarterman, Miami
Suggested by: Zack Moran
Loaded with experience at the MIKE, Quarterman jumped onto the big stage as a true freshman. Quarterman is a two-down defender who attacks with power but lacks the range and athleticism to stay on the field in traditional third-down situations. He has a long history of production and rarely misses opportunities to make tackles, which will help him be an instant impact starter on special teams and reserve interior linebacker.
The Baltimore Ravens might have had to change up their draft board after a handful of 2020 NFL draft prospects stood out at the Senior Bowl.
The Senior Bowl is one last chance for NFL scouts and general managers to get a live look at draft prospects practicing and playing before the 2020 NFL draft. A bunch of the top players in the country all facing off against one another, it’s a great test for some prospects that might have been previously ignored or undervalued.
As happens every year, a handful of prospects really shined above the rest and likely helped their draft stock. With general manager Eric DeCosta now in charge of the Baltimore Ravens, those that drew the spotlight could draw the attention of the team come draft night. Let’s take a look at seven standouts at the 2020 Senior Bowl that the Ravens should be interested in drafting.
Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images
EDGE Bradlee Anae, Utah
Anae proved how athletic and disruptive he can be after posting three sacks in the Senior Bowl, including two on mobile quarterback Jalen Hurts. Even when Anae wasn’t registering sacks, he was in the quarterbacks’ faces and creating big plays elsewhere like this interception that came from his pressure.
The North get the ball right back thanks to Malik Harrison (@OhioStateFB)!
Pass rusher is easily the biggest concern for Baltimore heading into this offseason. With how Anae performed in live game action, he might have cemented himself as a Day 2 prospect Baltimore can grab and immediately use as a situation pass rusher.
As the NFL Draft draws closer, the Badgers Wire is taking a look at the Badgers up for selection in the 2020 NFL Draft. The Badgers have put a lot of talent in this year’s NFL Draft, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that every Badger in the Draft has been front and center for post-collegiate all-star bowls like the Senior Bowl or NFLPA Bowl. For those Badgers that are in the draft and participating in these bowls, Badgers Wire wanted to take a closer look.
Wisconsin linebacker Zack Baun has been down in Mobile, Alabama, for the Senior Bowl as the Badgers’ lone representative. The first day of practice seemed to go fairly well for Baun, who also seemed to stand out in one-on-one drills leading up to practice. It seems more likely that he would transition to linebacker at the next level, but there’s a lot to like about him as an overall prospect.
In order to gain a sense of how Baun has been performing, Badgers Wire reached out to contacts at the Senior Bowl to check on Baun’s progress. Badgers Wire will continue to check on Baun throughout the Senior Bowl and in his preparation for the NFL Draft.
In order to get a sense of where Baun was at on Day Two, Joe Goodberry of the Athletic Cincinnati gave Badgers Wire a sense of how Baun performed on the second day of Senior Bowl practice.
“Zack Baun has been doing drills at both linebacker and defensive line and has had moments of success at each,” Goodberry said. “Showing some nice speed to chase the ball, Baun has taken to playing inside linebacker. On one particular play, he noticed the guard pulling backside and pointed it out to his partner at linebacker as the play was in motion. The other end of that play was that Baun was taken out easily by the Ohio State guard and the run went for a touchdown.
“This would happen again in 11-on-11 when the North Carolina offensive tackle would get hands on Baun and strong-arm the Wisconsin linebacker to the ground as the back gained big yardage. In all, I like the way Baun moves and his versatility, but he had a tough day two.”
Freelance reporter Josh Webb contributed to this report.
As the NFL Draft draws closer, the Badgers Wire is taking a look at the Badgers up for selection in the 2020 NFL Draft. The Badgers have put a host of talent in this year’s NFL Draft, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that every Badger in the draft has been front and center for post-collegiate all-star bowls like the Senior Bowl or NFLPA Bowl. But for those Badgers that are in the Draft and participating in these bowls, Badgers Wire wanted to take a closer look.
Wisconsin linebacker Zack Baun has been down in Mobile, Alabama for the Senior Bowl as the Badgers’ lone representative. While the practice just began this week, Baun has the distinct duty of being the only rep at the Senior Bowl for the Badgers. He might not be the highest-rated Wisconsin player, but he’s an aggressive and intelligent player who should find playing time in the NFL.
In order to gain a sense of how Baun has been performing, Badgers Wire reached out to those on hand at the Senior Bowl to check on Baun’s progress. Badgers Wire will continue to check on Baun throughout the Senior Bowl and in his preparation for the NFL Draft. In order to get a sense of where Baun was at on Day One, Patrick Carlisle of LB3 Scouting stepped up to the plate with the assist.
“This week Baun is one of a group of players that has gotten work both at linebacker and as a pass rusher,” Carlisle said. “Coming in at 6-foot-two and 240-pounds, he would be too light to be a full time pass rusher so continuing to get him work at both positions is a good idea for his future. He has continued to shine as a pass rusher consistently winning against some solid Senior Bowl offensive tackles with speed and technique. In linebacker drills he showed solid coverage skills for a guy who was more of a pass rusher in college. A player with his combination of movement ability and pass-rush skill will be able to find a role with an NFL team even if it does not begin as a full-time role.”
Freelance reporter Josh Webb contributed to this report.
