INDIANAPOLIS – Titans General Manager Jon Robinson talked to reporters here on Wednesday at the NFL Combine.
Robinson tackled a variety of questions, including those about the NFL Draft, the team's roster, and quarterback Ryan Tannehill.
And he also got emotional during a spill-over session with reporters when asked about what he can do to help improve the team.
-Robinson said the Titans have had some discussions with edge rusher Harold Landry, who is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent later this month.
"We've had some discussions about that, and we'll continue to have those discussions," Robinson said. "We have a meeting later this week, and we'll continue to work through that situation. We have a little bit of time on the (franchise) tag decision, and we have a little bit more time on hopefully a long-term solution. So, we'll continue to work through that, and see how it goes. … We're going to do our best to try and keep him (in Tennessee)."
-Robinson said receiver Julio Jones worked extremely hard in his first year in Tennessee even while dealing with setbacks. Now, the team is discussing Jones, and his health moving forward. "That's a balance you always work through with players, as their careers get longer and you see some (injury) things, and you wonder: Was that an isolated instance? Or is this going to be a repetitive thing?," Robinson said. "It is something we are talking about internally with our medical team, staff-wise, with our scouts, about that."
-Robinson said the Titans are "working through" decisions on their offensive line, where center Ben Jones and is scheduled to be an unrestricted free agent while left tackle Taylor Lewan and left guard Rodger Saffold have high cap numbers
"That group has been together for a long time, and they know each other," Robinson said. "There's something to be said when you have that type of continuity with your front. … Those are some of the decisions we're having to work through, with Ben, and trying to keep him, and looking at all the positions on our football team with decisions we're going to have to make."
-Robinson said the Titans have some tough decisions to make on whether to release or restructure players on the roster. "We're working through those scenarios with a couple of different players at a couple of different positions," Robinson said.
-Asked about the strengths of this year's NFL Draft, Robinson said the edge group is an impressive group, and he said there's good depth at receiver, and the offensive line.
-Robinson praised running back D'Donta Foreman, but didn't provide any hints on whether the team is actively trying to re-sign him. Foreman is among those scheduled to become a free agent. "We'll see how it goes here as we inch closer to free agency," Robinson said.
-Robinson called extension talks with receiver A.J. Brown "very, very preliminary."
Brown, a second-round pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, has one year remaining on his rookie deal.
"There's been nothing really exchanged," Robinson said of contract proposals. "But A.J. knows how we feel about him, and we know how A.J. feels about the football team. We'll get to work on that when we can."
-Robinson was asked about the potential for a new downtown stadium in Nashville. While he said "it would be outstanding" he also said he's not involved in those talks.
-Robinson said linebacker Zach Cunningham did a great job for the Titans after the team claimed him after his release from the Texans, "and we'd like to have him back."
-Robinson said the Titans are eyeing tight ends on the draft, in free agency, as well as players currently on the team's roster who are scheduled to become free agents. "We'll have to have a tight end at some point," Robinson said. "We don't play until September, so we are going to work through the process. … We're going to have to have a tight end, probably a couple."
-Robinson got emotional during a spill-over media session with reporters from Nashville when asked what he could have done better in 2021.
After pausing, Robinson said that's what keeps him up at night.
-Robinson said he hasn't talked to any other NFL teams about a quarterback while continuing to pledge his support for quarterback Ryan Tannehill.
