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Tennessee Titans

2008 Projected Starters:
Left Tackle: Michael Roos
Left Guard: Eugene Amano / Leroy Harris
Center: Kevin Mawae
Right Guard: Jake Scott
Right Tackle: David Stewart

2007 Injuries:
C Kevin Mawae: Weeks 16 and 17
G Benji Olson: Weeks 11 to 13

2007 Statistics:

LEFT END		LEFT TACKLE		MID/GUARD		RIGHT TACKLE		RIGHT END		Passing
ALY	Rank	ALY	Rank	ALY	Rank	ALY	Rank	ALY	Rank	Sacks	Rank
3.88	20	4.92	6	4.44	7	3.73	27	3.84	20	30	14

ALY (Adjusted Line Yards): It is an alternate measure for yards per carry developed by Football Outsiders that takes into account various factors including down, distance, situation and opponent.
Source: www.footballoutsiders.com

Overview:
The Tennessee Titans had their best season since 2003 with ten wins in 2007. It was a great improvement mainly due to the defense which went from the worst in the NFL in yards allowed to the fifth best. The offense ranked 21st in the NFL in yards of offense but the rushing game took a step back with only 3.9 yards per carry, down from 4.7 in the previous year. The Titans lost both of its starting guards in Jacob Bell and Benji Olson this off-season so there are some question marks going into the season.

At left tackle, 2005 second round pick Michael Roos will be playing his fourth season as a starter. Since being drafted, Roos has not missed a single start at tackle playing both on the left and right side in his first three seasons but the left tackle position is definitely his now. Roos is a perfect fit for the left side because of his 6’7” and 315 lbs frame and his excellent mobility and footwork. Those skills make him one of the five best pass protecting tackles in the NFL but he is only an average run blocker. Roos is underrated around the league because he is not the most explosive lineman but his pass protecting abilities definitely make him one of the ten best tackles in the league. Starting on the right side is another good tackle in David Stewart. Stewart has a very similar frame at 6’7” and 320 lbs and has started 30 games at right tackle since being drafted in the fourth round of the 2005 NFL Draft. He is a much better fit on the right side because he does not have great lateral mobility but is very strong and intense. Stewart is definitely an above average run blocker but remains below average in pass protection. Although he will never be a Pro Bowl caliber tackle, he will continue to improve and will be a good tackle in this league for several years. Daniel Loper is the main backup at tackle. He was a fifth round pick in 2005 but has not seen much NFL action other than on special teams. He has the versatility to play both guard and tackle but his upside is limited because of his lack of mobility. He would probably be a decent backup at guard or right tackle but he has not seen much action so it is hard to evaluate him. The other backup tackle is last year’s seventh round pick Mike Otto. Otto spent the last season on the practice squad but he is very intelligent and had a lot of experience at left tackle in college so he should adjust pretty well to the NFL. He has to get stronger to be effective in the NFL but has good pass blocking technique and could be a starter in the NFL some day.

The Titans signed Jake Scott from the Indianapolis Colts in the off-season to replace either Benji Olson who recently announced his retirement or Jacob Bell who signed with the Rams as a free agent. Scott will likely start at right guard but is capable of playing the left guard position as well or even the right tackle position. He has not missed a game in three seasons for the Colts and was a key part of their offensive line. Scott is excellent in pass protection because of his footwork and technique but is not very strong at 6’5” and only 295 lbs so his run blocking is slightly below average. His great intensity makes up in part for his lack of strength and also allows him to pull to the outside to block. Overall Scott is a very smart and dependable guard who will make few mistakes and will be a nice replacement for Bell or Olson. The left guard position will however not look as good with Leroy Harris or Eugene Amano. Harris was the team’s fourth round pick in the 2007 NFL Draft and was dressed for five games last season when Mawae and Olson were injured. Harris has the versatility to play the guard and center positions but he would be much more suited in a backup role. He is tough and hard-working but has very little mobility so will have trouble pulling to the outside and will have trouble against big athletic NFL defensive linemen. Harris’s competition will come from Eugene Amano who started five games last season in replacement of Olson at guard and Mawae at center. Amano has been a backup in the NFL since being drafted in the seventh round in 2004 and this may be his best chance to become a starter.

Starting at center for the third consecutive season with the Titans will be the 6’4” and 290 lbs Kevin Mawae. Mawae is a veteran who spent most of his career with the New York Jets until he was released in 2005. He was named to six Pro Bowls from 1999 to 2004 but at 37 years old, injuries are starting to slow him down. The Titans averaged only 3.0 yards per carry in the two games that Mawae missed late in the season so he is definitely an asset for this line. Mawae is pretty good both in run blocking and pass protection but the Titans have to hope that Amano and Harris are ready to step in because at that age, Mawae’s health is always a question mark.

2008 Outlook:
The Titans line will need to form chemistry quickly in training camp after losing both of its starting guards in the off-season. However, last season in the three games that Olson was injured, the Titans averaged 4.6 yards per carry against defenses that allowed 4.4 yards per carry on average. In those three games, Amano was starting at right guard so the only change would be Jake Scott replacing Jacob Bell. Scott is very similar to Bell in terms of skills as both are excellent in pass protection but average at best in run blocking. Depth is however a big concern for this line with Loper, Otto and Harris having no NFL experience. Overall this line should be similar to last year and might improve slightly if everyone stays healthy but depth is a big concern and Vince Young will see a lot of pressure if Scott or either of the tackles goes down with an injury.