The 2016 Titans & 2023 Titans

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The offseason is starting to hit a downtime as the teams are fully in draft mode, and truly focused on getting everything lined up for the draft. The Titans have done a pretty good job this offseason, but they haven’t really been able to truly give us a glimpse of what’s next for the offense. This has fans, rightfully, concerned with the team’s direction.

It does feel downright aimless at times, and up until recently I was right there with you. I was there standing by your side angrily shaking my first at God and asking why he has forsaken this team as someone like Nelson Agholor leaves free agency to sign with the Ravens. It’s irrational. I know that the free agents and wide receivers are mediocre, but dammit, this team has needs.

I know free agency isn’t the only way to improve this team, but it is an important cog in the offseason machine. A team needs to have as little holes on their team as possible heading into the draft. It was entirely possible, and affordable, for the Titans to fill the needs on the offensive side of the ball. And honestly, it’s still possible they do before the draft.

However, on Saturday afternoon I pondered a thought, and I have been unable to shake it. This team’s offense looks eerily similar to the Titans 2016 roster.

The Why Behind It

Are You Insane?

Possibly. Some days I do question my own sanity, but in regards to do this, I don’t think I am too far off. Sure, in hindsight, that team had players that turned out to be really damn good at football, but no one predicted just how good heading into the 2016 season.

The Titans were a 2-15 franchise heading into a year with questions all over the roster. By the time September rolled around, the team had undergone some minor tweaks and changes, but nothing insane. They only lost 8 free agents, most notable being, Zach Brown and Dexter McCluster. They ended up only signing 10 free agents that year:

• Ben Jones

• Rishard Matthews

• Al Woods

• Andre Johnson

• Sean Spence

• Byron Bell

• Rashad Johnson

• Matt Cassel

• Antwon Blake

• Marc Mariani

Not a fantastic list of who’s who of free agents. They signed those guys and still had a little over $25m in cap space to play with. It was kind of ridiculous how little Jon Robinson spent, but he ended up getting a lot in return. Particularly in 2016, he got a lot from Ben Jones, and enough from Rishard Matthews to make you forget the free agent class was pretty crap for the Titans.

Sure, the Titans had two stalwarts on offense in Delanie Walker and Taylor Lewan, but other than them two and Marcus Mariota, it was a pretty rough group before free agency, and only the addition of Demarco Murray really gave you hope as a fan.

The draft got more help. Jack Conklin a physically limited right tackle. Derrick Henry, a backup running back to Murray, and Tajae Sharpe a 5^th Round rookie who saw way too much playing time. Not Sharpe’s fault though, but we will get to that later.

None of this inspired much confidence from anyone about this squad though. The Titans just finished going 3-13, hired their interim coach, and did all of this in free agency and the draft. If you thought this team was going to be as overachieving as it was, then go play the lottery, cause you’re the only one.

Be honest, no one expected a 3-13 squad to go to 9-7 and have an extremely efficient offense back then. No one at least outside the building.

This was the opening day starters on offense:

• LT: Taylor Lewan | Only one full NFL season as a starting LT

• LG: Quinton Spain | a UDFA in 2015, Only had 6 Starts

• C: Ben Jones | Signed Free Agent

• RG: Chance Warmack | Former First Round Pick that was already a Bust

• RT: jack Conklin | An average athlete Rookie

• QB: Marcus Mariota

• RB: Demarco Murray | Aging Running Back with a lot of carries

• TE: Delanie Walker | Trending up TE

• FB: Jalston Fowler

• WR: Tajae Sharpe | 5^th Round Rookie

• WR: Andre Johnson | 35-year-old WR

That’s right Rishard didn’t even get the start. He did have just a tad bit over 50% of the offensive snaps, but he didn’t even get the second most. Besides, Matthews getting more run, the only other real change was when they signed Josh Kline shortly after he got cut by the Patriots in early September.

Kline went on to replace Warmack in the line-up and this Titans team went on a pretty good run of games from an offensive standpoint as evident by their rankings compared to their 2015 season:

So, as evident with how closely the 2015 Titans resembled the 2022 Titans, and with how little we thought of their offseason heading into the following year, they did to improve the team in free agency and the draft, why can’t these Titans do the same?

I think they can, they will, and that’s what they are trying to do. This is all they need from players:

• 40% (2 of 5 in 2016) of their offensive free agents to hit

• 20% (2 of 10 in 2016) of their entire free agent class to hit

• 30% of their draft class to be great as rookies (Conklin, Byard, & Henry)

• 40% of their draft class to be solid up to great as rookies (Those 3 and Sharpe)

Those are very attainable benchmarks for this 2023 team.

They know this free agency and draft class doesn’t perfectly align with this team’s needs, but it can be a steppingstone for them to be better than last year, gain confidence, and make waves next year.

Let’s look at the position groups from 2016 and compare them to what we know about 2023.