The Tennessee Titans should be in the market for offensive line help this offseason. Not only are the futures of multiple starters up in the air at the moment, but Tennessee also needs to improve in pass protection after allowing 47 sacks in 2021, the seventh-most in the NFL.
In his third mock draft of the offseason, ESPN’s Todd McShay has the Titans going with center Tyler Linderbaum with the No. 26 overall pick. Before we break down the likelihood of this pick, let’s see what McShay has to say:
“Tennessee took 47 sacks (seventh most) last year, and center Ben Jones is a free agent. Linderbaum not only fills a need here, he also represents outstanding value. He is highly effective as a zone blocker, which would spring Derrick Henry up the middle, and he gets great leverage in pass protection, which would buy Ryan Tannehill time in the pocket. I love this fit — but the Titans will be lucky to get Linderbaum at this point in the draft.”
Center Ben Jones is one of the Titans’ starters from last season whose future is up in the air at the moment, as he’s set to hit free agency. However, we fully expect Tennessee to bring him back.
The 32-year-old was arguably the team’s best offensive lineman in 2021, has proven durable (one game missed in six seasons with Titans) and hasn’t shown any signs of slowing down.
Should Tennessee somehow let Jones walk, Linderbaum would be a fantastic choice to replace him.
The Iowa product is the best center in this year’s draft and would be ready to start right away. He’s a fit in just about any scheme, and Linderbaum is solid in pass protection and thrives in the run game.
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