With free agency being two weeks old, ESPN updated their power rankings for the 2020 NFL season and gave the Tennessee Titans a slight boost.
ESPN currently places the Titans in the No. 7 spot, which is one spot higher than the previous version of the outlet’s power rankings.
Here’s what ESPN’s Turron Davenport had to say:
“Three words: Must keep building. The Titans started free agency on a good note by making sure quarterback Ryan Tannehill and running back Derrick Henry were back for another season. They made another move in the right direction when they signed Vic Beasley Jr. However, the loss of Jurrell Casey and possibly Logan Ryan leaves questions about the defense. The Titans need to find ways to help improve the defense and overall team speed. Most of the premier free agents have been plucked from the market. That places emphasis on a productive draft to add impact players to help build off of last season’s momentum.”
This places the Titans one spot ahead of the Minnesota Vikings and one spot below the Seattle Seahawks. The closest AFC South team is the Indianapolis Colts at No. 14.
Davenport nails it on the head when he mentions the trade of Jurrell Casey leaving a big question mark for the defense.
Tennessee has yet to replace it’s long-time defensive stalwart, and that by default makes this defense worse than the 2019 version. If the Titans can make the big splash a lot of us are hoping they make (Jadeveon Clowney) in order to replace Casey, it would completely change the outlook.
While I understand Logan Ryan’s importance to the defense, I don’t believe he’s anywhere near as important as Casey was for this team’s defensive success in 2020.
The truth is that Ryan was not great in coverage, but rather a solid all-around corner who really shined when asked to blitz. He was also a great leader in the locker room and a class act.
But the league demands faster corners to cover speedy wide receivers, and Ryan simply can’t provide that, making him not worth the $10 million or more price tag he desires. And, apparently teams agree with me, as he remains unsigned.
Tennessee has a potential solution on the roster in Amani Hooker, who was an elite slot cornerback with Iowa. He has the kind of speed that Ryan was lacking and could be an upgrade in coverage. Also look for Tennessee to add a young corner in the 2020 NFL Draft.
The most important thing for the Titans to do this offseason was to make sure they could “run it back” with their 2019 offense that was so explosive.
Tennessee has done that by re-signing Ryan Tannehill and Derrick Henry, as Davenport notes. The only notable departure from the offense is right tackle Jack Conklin, who will be replaced by Dennis Kelly.
The Titans’ former swing tackle has proven to be a quality starter after playing in place of Conklin in 2018. At worst he’ll be a slight step down from what Conklin was last season, but could provide a boost in pass protection, which is an area where Conklin struggled.
ESPN’s ranking of the Titans is one spot lower than we’ve seen from other outlets, as both NFL.com and Touchdown Wire placed Tennessee at No. 6. Regardless, it’s clear the Titans are getting some respect in 2020.