TITANS FANTASY NEWS

March 10, 2006 9:00 AM ET

After two straight offseasons of belt-tightening, there's a light at the end of the tunnel for the Titans—and it doesn't appear to be an oncoming train. This year's offseason hasn't produced nearly the cap casualties of the past two winters, so one could expect an improvement on the five- and four-win campaigns those offseasons yielded.

Moreover, the Titans will again pick near the top of the draft, with the potential to trade down and stockpile picks as they have done each of the past two seasons. All 11 of last year's picks remain on the squad, and only the last of the 13 selections Tennessee made in 2004 is no longer with the team.

That speaks as much to the voids created by veteran cap casualties as it does the talent of the Titans' past two rookie classes—but on the flip side those youngsters have gained valuable on-the-job experience. What will the Titans add to that mix this offseason as they look to return to the level of perennial playoff participant they held at the turn of the century?

Needs
The Titans don't have many glaring needs, but that's not to say there aren't areas on their roster that could use a significant talent upgrade.

Oddly enough, one area Tennessee seems relatively set at is quarterback—and yet many believe they'll take Rose Bowl hero Vince Young with their third pick in the draft. Steve McNair stayed relatively healthy last season and hopes to squeeze two or three more years out of his body; the Titans bought out a $50 million roster bonus for $1 million but will still pay McNair a $9 million salary for 2006. The club still hopes to rework McNair's deal, spreading money over a three- or four-year period that would keep McNair in Tennessee for the rest of his career while he grooms a replacement, but that's not a given.

Billy Volek is under contract for the next two seasons, but if McNair's successor is tabbed in the draft you can bet Volek's agent, the notorious Drew Rosenhaus, will insert himself into the picture.

The Titans have also positioned themselves well at running back, where Chris Brown and Travis Henry will once again compete for carries. Brown shouldered most of the load last season while Henry was nicked up and missed time due to a violation of the league's substance abuse policy, but the duo are expected to split duties more evenly in 2006. Henry's deal is incentive-laden, so the Titans have both a talented tandem of runners and insurance for the oft-injured Brown—or, if you prefer, the risky social habits of Henry—for a minimal percentage of their payroll. Young backups Jarrett Payton, Damien Nash, and Troy Fleming are in place as well.

Of course, if for some reason Reggie Bush falls to the Titans at the third pick, this situation becomes even murkier.

Wide receiver was a position of need last year, but each of the three receivers selected in the 2005 draft had an opportunity to pick up valuable experience and the position seems deep entering this season. Drew Bennett was banged up and ultimately failed to fill the No. 1 receiver role left for him by Derrick Mason's departure, but Brandon Jones, Courtney Roby, and Roydell Williams all indicated they can play. With Tyrone Calico yet to live up to his potential, the Titans may pursue a legitimate No. 1 receiver in free agency—David Givens' name has been mentioned—or they may give Bennett another chance to be "the guy."

Last season was truly the year of the tight end in Tennessee, as Erron Kinney, Ben Troupe, and Bo Scaife combined for 147 catches, ranking second, third, and fourth among Titan receivers. Despite the tight end talent in this draft, there's just no room for another body in this mix.

At one point during the offseason it appeared the Titans could be facing a complete overhaul of their offensive line. They released veteran tackle Brad Hopkins—their anchor on the left side for the past dozen years—and center Justin Hartwig is an unrestricted free agent, but guard Benji Olson reworked his deal and will be back under a new four-year agreement. Guard Zach Piller was rumored to be a cap casualty but now appears set to return as well. Michael Roos, a second-round selection last year, could switch sides to replace Hopkins—or the team could lock down that side with D'Brickashaw Ferguson via the draft. Titans coach Jeff Fisher indicated earlier this offseason that the team wouldn't target Ferguson because they had more pressing needs than a tackle, but that may just be draft-day subterfuge.

With the offensive personnel relatively set, expect most of the Titans' offseason resources to be focused on the defensive side of the ball. End Kyle Vanden Bosch, signed on the cheap last offseason, capitalized on a 12.5-sack campaign with a four-year, $22 million deal that will keep him in Tennessee. Linebacker Keith Bulluck is the heart and soul of this defense, but he could use some help. Backers Brad Kassell and Rocky Boiman are UFAs, and the Titans can lean on a linebacker-loaded draft to upgrade the position. Last year's draft yielded two starting cornerbacks, but safety Tank Williams is a UFA, and former defensive back Fisher loves loading up on secondary talent.

Salary Cap Situation
The Titans are approximately $10 million under the newly-installed $102 million salary cap for 2006.

Unrestricted Free Agents
C Justin Hartwig, T Brad Hopkins, LB Brad Kassell, LB Rocky Boiman, CB Tony Beckham, S Tank Williams

Restricted Free Agents
S Donnie Nickey, LS Jon Dorenbos

Free Agent Signings
None.

The Draft
The Titans hold the third spot in a top-heavy draft, and they have a plethora of options. The most popular one appears to be drafting Young, who has known McNair for several years and worked with him last offseason to develop his game. McNair wants to play for a couple years, which would allow the team to groom Young before the baton is passed. But Young isn't the only quarterback who could succeed McNair. Should Matt Leinart slip to the third spot, the Titans would be more than happy to reunite him with his former college coordinator Norm Chow, who now holds that position in Tennessee. Vanderbilt's Jay Cutler is a known quantity in Nashville and could also get the call.

Another possibility is Ferguson, despite Fisher's assertion about not drafting a tackle with the third pick. And the Titans have a history of making draft-day trades, so if somebody wants to pay to get one of the Big Three they'll be waiting by the phones in Tennessee.

As Fisher alluded, the Titans do have plenty of areas to upgrade, and they'll certainly do that with an early pick in every round. The line could easily be addressed in round two with players such as Eric Winston, Nick Mangold, or Jonathan Scott expected to be on the board, or Bulluck could get some assistance in the person of D'Qwell Jackson or Bobby Carpenter. And, of course, Fisher could follow tradition and select a secondary player on Day One; options there include Antonio Cromartie or Kelly Jennings.

Injury Watch
For a team that tended to fill up an injury report like Brad and Angelina fill up a tabloid, the Titans didn't have many major medical issues to address during the offseason. McNair's season ended early thanks to a pectoral muscle injury, but he was healthy enough a month later to play in the Pro Bowl. Brown also missed the season finale after battling ankle and shoulder injuries all season long, but again there's no reason for him to miss any offseason workouts. Bennett underwent offseason arthroscopic surgery on a troublesome knee but expects to be at full go by minicamp. The injury bug was contagious among receivers: Jones tore his ACL in November and had reconstructive surgery in December; he hopes to be ready for the start of the season, but nine months is an aggressive timetable for complete recovery. Williams started one game in place of the injured Jones before suffering a season-ending wrist injury; he, too, had offseason surgery, but bouncing back from a wrist injury is significantly easier for a wideout than returning to full speed from knee surgery. On the heels of that injury, Calico was placed on injured reserve for the last game of the season thanks to hamstring issues that plagued him the entire year. We'd love to predict a return to health for Ty, but he has yet to demonstrate the ability to stay out of the trainer's room for any extended period of time. Kinney (knee) and Troupe (ankle) also battled injuries all season long, but they should be rested and ready by the time minicamp kicks off.

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