NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The first edition of the mailbag here.
At ESPN.com, they made us cut it down to one question, maybe two. I thought that was weak as I like mailbags as a spot where I can address a lot of stuff in one place.
I will regularly pack these to whatever degree the questions warrant it.
@PaulKuharskyNFL How many receivers do you think they'll keep? #PKmail
— Chuck Lawson (@claws0922) August 15, 2017
PK: Corey Davis, Rishard Matthews, Eric Decker and Taywan Taylor are definites. I think it would be very hard for them not to keep Tajae Sharpe. That was a solid rookie season by a fifth-round pick who helped change the receiver room. He could be back from his foot stress fracture as soon as next week. So that’s five. That could be it, possibly with Eric Weems qualifying as a sixth in a pinch if he’s around as a return man and special teamer. Tre McBride and Harry Douglas would be next. Douglas would be a luxury if he’s inactive weekly but available if someone is hurt. McBride is younger, of course, and can do more on special teams, but is still too inconsistent. Depth or lack of it at other positions will influence the receiver number. But right now I say five plus Weems.
With Saturday's poor showing, are preseason games foreshadowing for the season? Should games produce negativity/positivity at all? #PKmail
— Tyne Brewer (@TyneBrewer) August 15, 2017
PK: One game, and just a few series for starters, should not be much of a harbinger of things to come. Every year I tell people not to read too much into the preseason, then there are at least a few developments I wind up putting too much stock into. The safer play is to always work to minimize how much you let the preseason influence your expectations and feelings about a team.
Which do you dislike more? People who wear team jerseys or people who want a former player resigned after he's been cut? #PKmail
— Steve Snyder (@SteveSnyder9) August 15, 2017
PK: Considering how so many people wear jerseys, a sweeping dislike would simply include too many people. Therefore I select B. I blame Jeff Fisher for this, in part. Because every time the Titans cut someone of note during his term as coach, he would say the team could bring the guy back. To him it softened the blow, but I think some people didn’t see through that and it gave them sentimental hope that their dear, former Titan would wear the colors again.
To what extent was Tajae Sharpe’s “rookie wall” a result of the coverage and game-planning he received as the team’s #1 or 2 corner? #PKMail
— Fr John Hammond (@FrHammond) August 15, 2017
PK: It was a factor. But the fact is the Titans asked a great deal of a fifth-round rookie, partly out of necessity. His contribution was impressive when put in context. And while he’s probably the fifth guy once he’s back, which could be as early as next week, he’ll benefit greatly from all the additions on offense when he gets snaps. He’s not getting as many as he did last year barring a slew of injuries.
Why is Muhammed so low on the depth chart? #PKmail
— Joey Harvey (@joeyharvey) August 15, 2017
PK: He’s just not been very good. I like the idea of him, and thought his dashy, darty style showed up a bit early on. But as camp has gone on he hasn’t shown much, except that he can’t field punts.
Do you think Titans put too much stock in Logan Ryan before he had a chance to prove himself covering deep balls or was he worth it#PKmail
— Corey McPeak (@FinalBoss_FGC) August 15, 2017
PK: He played 15 snaps. A jersey guy who went to Rutgers, he said he let himself get a little overhyped as he was back home. He got kind of lost on a pass that was actually thrown accidentally further inside than it should have been and Robby Anderson made a good adjustment to make a 53-yard catch. It’s ONE play. We can make no judgment -- major or even minor – off one play.
#PKmail who do you want to see improve from last Saturday preseason game to this weeks game.
— titanfan (@crwilliams1961) August 15, 2017
PK: Pretty much everybody. Here are a few guys who can do what they did against the Jets and be just fine: FS Kevin Byard, CB Kalan Reed, ILB Jayon Brown, OLB Aaron Wallace, WR Harry Douglas.