Three Questions: 1. Who will replace Chris Johnson as the primary running back? The first shot will go to his backup Shonn Greene. The former Jet will have to prove that his knee can withstand the rigors of a starting load after an offseason arthroscopic surgery. If Greene should falter either through injury or performance, newcomers Sankey and McCluster will most likely find their way onto the field. 2. Can Whisenhunt establish his system with Locker at the helm? Whisenhunt has shown that his offense is very quarterback-friendly. While in the hey-day of Arizona’s run to the Super Bowl, he was able to rely on top-notch players in the skill positions. Here, he will need Locker to man the Kurt Warner role and hope Kendall Wright continues to develop into a top-end receiver while Nate Washington remains his reliable self. The offensive line will be tested to protect their young quarterback. 3. Will the defense overcome the loss of Verner? The cornerbacks on the roster that are looking to replace the Pro Bowler bound for Tampa are an inexperienced group. Whoever starts will be learning the position on the fly. The safeties will be relied upon heavily to rotate over to that side, leaving McCourty to man his side alone. The great equalizer will be the pass-rush setting a tone often and early in games. 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. TEAM ROSTER TITANS DEPTH CHART OFFENSE QB Jake Locker Charlie Whitehurst RB Shonn Greene Bishop Sankey FB Collin Mooney Dorin Dickerson WR Nate Washington, Kendall Wright Dexter McCluster, Justin Hunter TE Delanie Walker Craig Stevens LT Michael Roos Jeff Adams LG Chris Spencer, Justin McCray C Brian Schwenke, Tyler Horn RG Chance Warmack Eric Olsen RT Taylor Lewan Michael Oher DEFENSE LDE Derrick Morgan Ropati Pitoitua NT Jurrell Casey Sammie Hill RDE Al Woods Karl Klug OLB Akeem Ayers, Shaul Phillips Zaviar Gooden, Kamerion Wimbley ILB Wesley Woodyard, Colin McCarthy Brandon Copeland, Zach Brown CB Jason McCourty, Blidi Wreh-Wilson Coty Sensabaugh, Tommie Campbell SS Bernard Pollard George Wilson FS Michael Griffin Daimion Stafford SPECIAL TEAMS K Maikon Bonani P Brett Kern LS Beau Brinkley KO Brett Kern KR Leon Washington
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