Why the Titans Already Look Better at Tight End

Stoney Keeley thinks the Tennessee Titans did an adequate job of overhauling the tight end room. Here's why.

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It may be early. We might not have seen a down of football from the overhauled Tennessee Titans tight end room. But, I am already confident in saying they have improved their situation at the position immensely. It’s easy, with the benefit of hindsight, to look back and say “yeah, we should’ve seen this coming.” I mean, for goodness’ sake, we watched training camp and got hyped about Briley Moore. I know of at least one Titans writer in this market who had high opinions and high hopes for Miller Forristall too, though I refuse to name names on this website (it was me). That should’ve been the red flag for us, folks. If we were getting hyped and projecting UDFAs to become splash players, we should’ve known. We played ourselves.

Nonetheless, whether Jon Robinson and company underestimated just how much Jonnu Smith meant to the Titans offense, or if they were just simply unwilling to pay the price tag that he ended up getting from the New England Patriots, they couldn’t piece together a replacement for his role in the offense. Anthony Firkser was supposed to slot right in and become the team’s top tight end option, but 2021 just wasn’t right for Firkser. I thought he would take over as the chain-mover in the offense with the departure of Adam Humphries, and that they’d piece the blocking part together with a combination of Geoff Swaim and Tommy Hudson. But, it never came together for him, and the Titans never really had a tight end threat on the field that could do it all.

So, they entered the 2022 offseason with tight end looking like a glaring need. The first move they made was re-signing Swaim to a one-year deal. You can’t blame them for it, really – Swaim is a great blocker, and proved to be a reliable safety valve for Ryan Tannehill at times during the season. As a third option, or as the second tight end in 2TE sets, Swaim is a great guy to have on the roster. I joked quite a bit last season about Swaim being the guy to get the offense and passing game going, but that was one of those “kind of funny, but kind of true” jokes – go back and watch that first Colts game.

While keeping Swaim offered a bit of stability in the tight end room, the Titans still needed an overhaul of their group. They addressed it in free agency by signing Austin Hooper. I love Hooper’s combination of athleticism and physicality for what it could mean to the passing game and the running game. The Titans were reportedly high on Hooper throughout the 2016 draft process, with Robinson even saying he probably should’ve drafted him. Hooper is a capable and willing blocker as well as a good route runner. Most importantly, he should be on the field for just about every play. He’s a guy that is well-rounded as a TE1, fits in this Titans offense, and should give the Titans an option in the tight end room without having to worry about situational football or defining specific roles for each guy.

Then, they added explosiveness to the tight end room in drafting Chigoziem Okonkwo in the 4th round. Looking at Okonkwo, it’s easy to see why he’s been compared to Jonnu Smith. He’s a physical specimen that is dynamic in the open field with the ball in his hands. The traits are there for him to be a weapon in the passing game, and the frame is there for the Titans to coach into a solid blocker. In signing Hooper, the Titans are afforded the luxury to ease Okonkwo into the NFL. He can be used for splash plays right away because his skill set is exactly what this passing game needs.

Of course, it helps to keep Swaim in the room for another year, too. He’s a good blocker and can continue to be a safety valve for Tannehill. And for what it’s worth, Moore is still an option too. All in all, it’s a much more talented and well-rounded tight end room with a higher ceiling than we saw from this group in 2021. To me, it’s really the traits that separate this year’s group from last’s. The Titans tight ends didn’t have these an offseason ago. Also, the Titans won’t have to worry about tells as much as they did in 2021. Firkser wasn’t really a threat blocking, and Swaim and Hudson weren’t exactly going to go streaking down the field wide open for 30 yards. Certain looks could’ve given defenses a clue as to what the Titans were going to do. This year’s group looks like it should allow the offense to be a little more multiple, and a little more unpredictable…at least at this position. That’s why I believe the Titans did an adequate job of overhauling the tight end room, and it already looks like this unit is improved for 2022.

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Stoney Keeley is the Editor in Chief of The SoBros Network, and a Dogs Playing Poker on velvet connoisseur. He is a strong supporter of Team GSD, #BeBetter, and ‘Minds right, asses tight.’ “Big Natural” covers the Tennessee Titans, Nashville, Yankee Candle, and a whole wealth of nonsense. Follow on Twitter @StoneyKeeley

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