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As rumors swirl around players the Tennessee Titans may attempt to offload, they're also trying to add pieces. It appears new general manager Ran Carthon is trying to begin a full transition of the roster from the previous era to this. With this transition comes a premium on draft picks. Draft season is fully in swing, and the combine has come and gone. The time between the combine and pro days is a perfect one to evaluate how players performed in Indianapolis.
The Titans need players in a lot of positions, but left tackle is perhaps most paramount. The best player at that position in this draft is up for debate, but the most discussed is probably Paris Johnson. If you've kept up with the Titans offseason, that's a name you've heard quite a bit in connection with the team's 11th overall pick.
Johnson, the Ohio State product, had a very good combine. He only participated in the bench press and broad jump as far as physical drills go. However, his measurables are very good for his position, and his game tape is beyond good. He played exceptional ball at a very high level that should translate well to the NFL.
Another thing that Paris Johnson could provide is the pass blocking ability the Titans desperately lacked last year. Taylor Lewan went down with an ACL tear, and Dennis Daley, his replacement, posted one of the worst pass blocking seasons of all time. Needless to say, that's a feat that absolutely cannot be repeated in 2023.
The Titans have to find someone to play left tackle right now. Paris Johnson looks like a long term answer to that position. He also represents a shift in philosophy, as he is a better pass blocker than run blocker. Not that he's a bad run blocker, that's absolutely not the case. But in years past, the Titans were willing to sacrifice pass blocking ability if it meant being an elite run blocker. That's precisely what happened with Daley. Sure, he posted one of the worst pass blocking seasons of all time. However, he also posted a very good run blocking season at the same time.
This shift in philosophy represents a new era of Titans football. Many have criticized head coach Mike Vrabel at one time or another for being unwilling to change too much. The offensive scheme remained largely unchanged from his arrival in 2018 to this past season. There was inklings of Vrabel wanting to change that, such as hiring Matt LaFleur and Arthur Smith as his first two offensive coordinators. Both of those men come from an offensive background much like the one Carthon helped build a roster around in San Francisco.
There appeared to be some disconnect in the team that Vrabel wanted to build, and the personnel Jon Robinson wanted to acquire. This was ultimately brought to a head with the A.J. Brown trade. Now it appears Ran Carthon was brought in by ownership so as to better align the goals of coaching and player personnel departments.
We won't fully know the type of roster Carthon is attempting to build for a couple years when he's had time to do it his way. However, we can get an inkling on draft night. When the commissioner strolls to the stage to announce Tennessee's 11th overall pick, we'll know where Carthon's head is. It may be focused solely on one Paris Johnson.
