NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The Titans are 18 days from the first round of the NFL draft and start meeting this week to make their final judgments on players and set their board.

As they do, they need something that has not been mentioned as they’ve hired a new coach, put together a new coaching staff, begun to operate under a new power structure and signed an impressive haul of free agents: Some disagreement.

The team’s buzzword has been collaboration, but big draft decisions are best reached through vigorous debate and the sorting through of different opinions on players, not uniform thinking.

“I think it’s probably been overstated, about the whole getting along part,” Ran Carthon said.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Free agency has settled down with limited players left to sift through and teams moving into full draft preparation mode.

While they may circle back to Marcus Maye or Justin Simmons and could find others after the draft and dive on a player or two who’s cut later on, it’s a good time to put what the Titans have done in context.

In the franchise’s Tennessee history, through five general managers, it has strived to be a draft-based organization. Free agent classes, therefore, have generally been meant to serve as supplemental even as drafts have come up short. Big-ticket-free agents have been mixed in, but there haven’t been classes like 2024’s in terms of star power and money spent.

By ZACH LYONS, STACKING THE INBOX

The Tennessee Titans are in a unique situation with the seventh overall pick. They could essentially have their pick from one or two of the top three wide receivers, the number-one-rated tackle, or even the possibility to trade back. The world is their oyster at the moment. They all present their unique advantages for the Titans that can help this team with their immediate needs and solve long-term issues that have plagued the franchise.

Last week, I talked through the top three wide receivers in the 2024 class -- how they fit with what the franchise wants to do and why Malik Nabers could be the top receiver based on his skill set. Now let's  I walk through the top three offensive tackles who best fit what the Titans' decision-makers on offense like to do on the field. 

Olu Fashanu vs. Joe Alt

By MIKE HERNDON, COLUMNIST

Free agency isn’t over, but with the calendar turning to April and the NFL Draft just over three weeks away, we have reached the point where teams are zeroing in on draft strategies, hosting visits with players of interest, and fine-tuning their draft boards. For the Tennessee Titans, that means figuring out what to do with the eight picks at their disposal, most critically picks No. 7 and 38.

A thought that I can’t escape as we get closer to the draft is that Tennessee cannot exit this draft having only picked twice in the top-100 selections. Whether that means trading back in the first round or the second, Ran Carthon has to find a way to add another Day Two pick or two.

I’ve laid out my reasoning for this belief previously, but I’ll hit it again here. The cupboards are bare when it comes to young, up-and-coming talent on this roster at virtually every position group. It’s far too early to make definitive statements about any of the 2023 draft class, but the only other player currently contributing at a high level on a rookie contract is third-year cornerback Roger McCreary. You could make an argument for Chig Okonkwo as well, but his hot-and-cold 2023 season at least raises some questions about his trajectory and ceiling as the team’s top tight end.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The Titans have rarely sent a cornerback to track a top receiver around the field.

Samari Rolle, Pacman Jones and Cortland Finnegan did so occasionally for specific matchups, Finnegan most notably with Andre Johnson with whom he ended up in a highlight-reel fight.

Finnegan’s Titans’ career ended in 2011. 

Since then, it’s been almost always left, right and nickel.

So the arrival of L’Jarius Sneed gives the Titans a chance to do what the Chiefs did in 2024 when he drew matchups against some of the NFL’s top wideouts and had great success against them weekly. No matter where they lined up.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- While Fanatics is taking over the Titans' merchandise operation, it does not mean the much-maligned manufacturer's products will dominate the marketplace.

The team announced Monday that Fanatics is its new "omnichannel retail partner." I felt like that complicated things as omnichannel is an unfamiliar word and concept.

"Under the new deal, Fanatics assumes operations of the full suite of on-site merchandise and fan gear touchpoints at Nissan Stadium, and launches a new, advanced e-commerce platform for the team," the announcement said.

Many fans are understandably wary of Fanatics products which have a terrible reputation.

But it's important to note that Fantatics as operators does not mean their product will be the overwhelming merchandise choice at titansteamstore.com.

ORLANDO – The Titans move forward with a lot of changes after a terrible season. Their 6-11 mark was the third-worst record in the AFC.

They’ve got a new coach, a new staff and a new offensive philosophy. So far, they’ve got nine new players through aggressive free-agent shopping and a big trade.

The Titans are in a competitive division where the Texans are the reigning champs with offensive rookie of the year C.J. Stroud in place and a good-looking free-agent class added.  

Things can change dramatically in a year in the NFL, but what are the team’s expectations for the first year of Brian Callahan’s version of the Titans?

By ZACH LYONS, STACKING THE INBOX

The Tennessee Titans are in a better place with their wide receiver room than years prior, maybe even the best. But they’re not done. There is a difference between hope and expectation and the Grand Canyon-sized gap between those two words is how to view Treylon Burks and Kyle Philips as they both enter year three.

You hope that both turn things around in various facets of their game, but the Titans should not expect that they will. Neither of those players precludes the Titans from drafting a wide receiver, should the right opportunity present itself in any round of the draft. It would be insane to pass up on the wide receivers in this draft, even the ones on Day Three. Pulling a Colton Dowell-like move, where they ignore a deep WR class that will dry up by the seventh round, would be a tough pill to swallow. 

However, based on their comments, I don’t believe that will be the case. In fact, it would be downright stunning if they don’t address wide receiver before the beginning of the sixth round. Brian Callahan spoke in great detail about needing playmakers at the position and if all things are created equal, get the guy that scores points. Derrick Mason on 102.5 has said that he “knows” Ran Carthon really wanted Zay Flowers last year. That lets us know that it is not out of the realm of possibility that one of the top three wide receivers in this draft could be picked over Joe Alt.

So, how do each of the top-3 consensus players stack up to what the Titans decision decision-makers have traditionally looked for? Let’s talk it out.