Titans Defense The 2014 offseason will be marked by the departure of Alterraun Verner to Tampa Bay. Among the candidates in-house that are looking to replace the Pro Bowl cornerback are Coty Sensabaugh, Tommie Campbell and Blidi Wreh-Wilson. Whoever wins the spot vacated by Verner will be playing alongside Jason McCourty, who has started every game he has played in over the last three seasons. There is talent within this group, but there is a lot of inexperience as well. The secondary will take a hit after losing a player of Verner’s caliber but will hope that additions along the defensive front will take the pressure off of the back end. One of the veterans that the team brought in is linebacker Shaun Phillips. While he just turned 33 in May, Phillips has shown in recent years that he has a lot of football left to play in his 6-3, 255-pound frame. He is coming off a year where he had ten sacks for the Broncos. The pressure that he provides off the edge will surely free up defensive lineman Jurrell Casey to wreak havoc on opposing quarterbacks after he broke out for 10.5 sacks in his third year in the league. The Titans will look for the same production out of Casey, especially now with another edge rusher on the roster. Phillips is not the only player that the Titans plundered from the Bronco defense in free agency this year. Inside linebacker Wesley Woodyard makes his way to Tennessee after six seasons in the Mile High City. Over the past two seasons, Woodyard has combined for over 200 tackles. Affectionately known as “The Lumberjack,” the Titans hope he can lead a young group of linebackers while holding the fort until less experienced players, Zach Brown and Akeem Ayers, find their way. Defensive Player to Watch Casey had a strong 2013 campaign. After starting his first two years with a total of 5.5 sacks, he finished last season with nearly double that total and is looking to improve upon those numbers with the addition of Phillips to provide a steady rush on the outside. Casey comes into the season 15 pounds lighter now that he is being asked to play defensive end in a 3-4 defense. Given how he played last year, more responsibility is being placed on his shoulders to prove that his year was not a fluke. How he performs in this new position could make-or-break the Titans front seven. Titans Special Teams The Titans released kicker Rob Bironas in the offseason, so establishing who the primary kicker will be is obviously a pressing issue. As of now, Maikon Bonani has a leg up on the competition as he impressed coaches last training camp with his strong leg. As is the case with most young placekickers, accuracy is a question with him. Meanwhile, the Titans are a little more stable at punter with Brett Kern handling the job effectively last year. The Titans’ return game should be interesting to watch. Dexter McCluster automatically improves the punt return team as he has shown to be one of the better returners in the league over the last few seasons. The primary kick returner will come down to oft-injured Marc Mariani and former Pro Bowler Leon Washington. Prediction: The Titans will need to ride the strength of their offensive line to open up holes for their running backs and give time for Locker to find his receivers downfield. A playoff appearance is not out of the realm of possibility for this team in transition. Key Additions: LB Wesley Woodyard, OT Michael Oher, LB Shaun Phillips, RB/PR Dexter McCluster Key Subtractions: RB Chris Johnson, CB Alterraun Verner, WR Kenny Britt, QB Ryan Fitzpatrick Rookies: T Taylor Lewan, RB Bishop Sankey, DT DaQuan Jones, S Marqueston Huff, LB Avery Williamson, QB Zach Mettenberger SCOREBOARD Jake Locker DILIP VISHWANAT/GETTY IMAGES SPORT 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 Playoff Finish - - - - - Regular Season W-L 7-9 6-10 9-7 6-10 8-8 Points Per Game 22.63 20.63 20.31 22.25 22.13 Points Allowed Per Game 23.81 29.44 19.81 21.19 25.13 Yards Per Game 336.88 313.13 335.06 302.13 351.44 Yards Allowed Per Game 337.94 374.94 355.13 367.69 365.63 Turnovers 20 28 25 26 28 Takeaways 25 24 23 25 27
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