NASHVILLE, Tenn. – After moving on from veteran center Lloyd Cushenberry, the Titans have no plans of turning to a rookie at the spot this fall.
Two years after taking a swing on Cushenberry, largely regarded as the top free agent on the market, they will be shoppers again.
The team obviously has more needs than it can fill in the draft, and wants a veteran center who can set protections and take pressure off Cam Ward.
I wrote recently that Kevin Zeitler is one of two priorities for the Titans among their own free agents. If they managed to retain Zeitler, four-fifths of the line will return, with Dan Moore, who they are sticking with at left tackle for a second season, Peter Skoronski, Zeitler and JC Latham.
Tyler Linderbaum of the Ravens is the top center heading to free agency now. The Titans' search can go wide in a pretty solid market. Still, three others are also on the Titans' radar: Connor McGovern of the Bills, Tyler Biadasz, who Washington recently released, and Luke Fortner of the Saints.
Spotrac projects Linderbaum as worth $17 million annually, with McGovern at $16 million. Fortner is far cheaper with a projection at just over $6 million.
Cushenberry didn’t live up to expectations after signing a four-year, $50 million contract. He tore an Achilles tendon midway through his first year but talked openly about being a disappointment and needing to up his game.
Bill Callahan helped select him and now Carmen Bricillo will have a hand is selecting his replacement.