NASHVILLE, Tenn. – When we discuss the Titans’ needs, we tag positions. A quarterback has moved to the head of a list that includes an edge rusher, right tackle, receiver and several other spots.
However, as the Titans look to fill positions on the depth chart, they need to be trait-shopping, not just for size and speed.
The 2024 Titans are bad for many reasons, but one of them has been their severe lack of leadership.

Nothing is likely to match the Titans’ 2006 free agent class, where eventual Hall of Famer Kevin Mawae walked through the door and gave the team all the leadership qualities it could want. That class, signed by Floyd Reese in his final season as GM, also included David Thornton and Chris Hope. They were not Mawae-level leaders, but they were very good ones.
These Titans need a similar infusion, but players of that quality who possess such leadership qualities become available much less frequently nearly 20 years later. Teams need to grow them from people they draft, and the Titans' draft record hasn’t allowed for much of that.