NASHVILLE – Titans General Manager Jon Robinson took part in a live event for season ticket members on Thursday.
Along with Titans HC Mike Vrabel, Robinson tackled questions on player news, offseason updates, draft preparation and more in a session with Titans Vice President of Broadcasting Mike Keith.
Here's a look at some of the hot topics…
-The Titans continue to evaluate players while continuing to set their draft board.
The NFL Draft kicks off on April 29.
Robinson said the team's medical staff is still compiling all the data they've collected during medical checks on players, and the staff is still having virtual meetings with players while also calling college coaches for additional background. The scouting staff and coaching staff just wrapped up meetings.
Robinson said the Titans have already met with some of the draft prospects the maximum five times on virtual conference calls, and more calls are scheduled in the coming days.
"We're still fine tuning and tweaking and we will do so leading up to the draft in two weeks," Robinson said.
-Robinson was asked about the strengths of the 2021 NFL Draft.
"That's a question I get about every draft, and our charge is to find depth at every position," Robinson said. "I certainly thing there are position groups that have some depth and some volume there. The edge players on defense, the corners on defense, the receivers on offense. There's a bunch of good backs, a bunch of offensive linemen. But that's our charge and it's been our charge.
"Everybody can kind of predict who the top 100 (players) are, but who is in that next rung of players, the Jayon Browns, those guys who are going to come in the Day 3 portion of the draft and have an impact on your football team? … (We want) to create depth within the position groups."
-The Titans did their own mock draft with their staff on Thursday.
"One scout picked a player that he really liked, that we could probably get in the seventh round, but he wanted to take him at 22," Robinson said with a smile. "I was like, 'That's probably a little early for him, but OK, I appreciate it."
Robinson said the exercise helps make decisive decisions.
"I learned a lot of things from coach (Bill) Belichick," Robinson said. "He always told me: Have a player ready to pick. You are not always going to be able to move, either up or back in the draft, so you better be zeroed in on one or two guys as you inch closer to your pick."
-Robinson noted the additions the team has made in free agency on defense while discussing the need to improve.
Edge rusher Bud Dupree, defensive lineman Denico Autry, Jackrabbit Jenkins and Kevin Johnson are among the most notable newcomers, along with linebacker Ola Adeniyi and safety Matthias Farley.
"We think they're going to have a pretty cool impact, and help us defensively," Robinson said. "We are combing over both sides of our draft boards … and we are looking at the value of those players and the impact those defensive players can have relative to adding some more explosive offensive players.
"So, there's some good defensive players in this draft, and there's some good offensive players in this draft. At the end of the day we want to come away with the best possible players on whatever side of the ball we think can help us win football games."
-Robinson was asked about the possibility of Nissan Stadium switching to artificial turf instead of natural grass.
It sure didn't sound like it was on the horizon.
"I think it probably, it may be a little tough for us given the events that we have," Robinson said. "And it's just so hot – that turf, it gets hot during the summer. I'm not saying that's a no, but I think that's a pretty in depth conversation that we'd have to have, certainly with Mike and I, and (controlling owner) Amy (Adams Strunk) first and foremost, and a lot of people would be involved in that decision."
