NASHVILLE – The NFL Draft is now less than a week away.
It can't get here soon enough.
Keep the questions and suggestions rolling in, and we'll keep discussing it all in here leading up to next weekend.
I'm going to ask for your mock drafts soon for a special draft day edition of the mailbag on Thursday.
Here's the link to ask questions: CLICK HERE
Damian Lee from Meza, Arizona
Question: Hi Jim. Hope you had a great Easter. Should the Titans trade up for a better pick?
Jim: Hey Damian. Everyone would love to trade up for a better pick. Personally, I think there's a greater chance the team trades back to acquire more picks.
Brian Cutler from Plainfield, Connecticut
Question: Over all our "biggest" needs to be WR, OL and TE to most people. Now I'm not saying I disagree but I feel one of our needs might be LB. Who in this year's draft to do see maybe being around and worth the first round pick. Or do you see a more valuable pick in the third round at LB? I also have seen some people taken a QB in the first round. How are your feelings of drafting someone in the later rounds at QB like Desmond Ridder or Bailey Zappe?
Jim: Hey Brian. I just don't see the big need at LB. Sure, I think depth could be added, but the team has two starters inside in Zach Cunningham and David Long Jr, and the team drafted Monty Rice last year. As for QB, Ridder isn't going to be around in the later rounds. I think Zappe is a good prospect.
Harry Prentiss from Sunbury, Pennsylvania
Question: Jim, I hope you are doing well. Being from Pennsylvania I saw a lot of Jahan Dotson at Penn State and if he falls to our spot would love to see him in a Titans uniform. He's a very good receiver and playmaker and could return kicks. Is he mentioned by the Titans as a possibility?
Jim: Hey Harry. In the last mock draft roundup I did, five of the 30-plus mocks had the Titans taking Dotson, including ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. …
Antonio Smithson from Asheboro, North Carolina
Question: Greetings Jim. Love your work. Question about Voluntary Workouts. Not aiming this at anyone on our boys in blue, or anyone else. Personally I feel if a workout is labeled "voluntary," it should be just that. Some players have their own workout schedule and preferred workout gurus they work with. That said (and I wasn't trying to influence your answer, btw), what is your feeling overall about Voluntary Workouts. Do you feel players should show? Seems there's always noise made by call-in fans and media hosts about those who do not take part.
Jim: Hey Antonio. It's a fair question. And, working for the team, I can't sit here and put pressure on guys for not being here because, as you mentioned, they are voluntary. Of course it would be great to have 100 percent attendance, but that just doesn't happen in this day and time. I also know just because a guy isn't here, that doesn't mean he's not working. Derrick Henry hasn't been here for a good chunk of past offseasons, but he also shows up in shape. There's been a lot of chatter about QB Ryan Tannehill not being here, but I know he's thrown with some of the team's receivers in Florida, including A.J. Brown. As the weeks go by, and the season draws closer, I think you'll see more and more guys return to town.
Fred Trotman from St. Louis, Missouri
Question: Hey Jim, I agree Cunningham and Long JR are great players. I just feel like we're losing well at least in Rashaan Evans a consistent linebacker we've consistently done over the years. I felt that we could've kept Evans he's played solid for us and limited injuries compared to Jayon Brown. But on to this present. How likely could we get Deebo Samuel? What's preventing us from trying to trade with him aside from the Woods trade, AJ Brown contract, and Salary Cap? (Those are all the reasons why I feel we won't get him.) I still think we can get Julio for cheap he hasn't been picked up. Also I see a couple CB free agents that are young and actually athletic enough for us to run more blitzes in man coverage. Those are all my far fetched and realistic questions/comments. Lastly I am team MyCole Pruitt also. He outshined Firkser last year when he got a chance and before his injury. I bet had we got Delanie Walker last year we'd be Super Bowl champs. (A guy can dream right ha! Have a good one. TITAN UP EVERYBODY!!!
Jim: Hey Fred. I hear ya on Rashaan, but the reality is he was beat out for the job last year. I hope he does well in Atlanta. I wouldn't waste any time hoping for a Deebo trade. The mission is to extend A.J. And, don't bank on Julio coming back. I haven't asked anyone if this is a possibility, but my thinking is this: There's no way he'd come back and play for cheap in Tennessee after making so much money here last year. As for MyCole, he has to get healthy first. He suffered a bad injury last year.
Tyler Ebert from Hanover, Pennsylvania
Question: Hey Jim! As always, very appreciative of all you do for us fans.
Before I comment on football related items, I wanted to comment on the article you wrote on Taylor Robinson and her continuing battle with Type 1 Diabetes and other diseases. I was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes about a year and a half ago and coupled with an auto-immune disease of my own, it is certainly a lot to manage. Reading how much she and the Robinson family do to help raise awareness and their support for JDRF makes me love and respect them as well as the Titans organization as a whole even more than I already have. Taylor's story and determination is inspiring and i would love to extend sincere gratitude to her, her family, and the Titans organization. We are all in this together!
Now for a few football comments... 1) This ridiculousness surrounding AJ is blasphemous and the treatment from fans is unacceptable. AJ will be signed. 2) I hope if we do go after a QB in this draft, it isn't until a late round. Our bigger priorities, in my opinion, should be OL/WR/LB but I'd also be okay with a BPA if someone we can't pass up falls to us at 26. 3) I get a strong feeling we trade out of 26 to accumulate more picks if our guy(s) aren't still on the board. 4) Is it football season yet?!?! TITAN-UP!!!
Jim: Hey Tyler. I appreciate you commenting on the story on Taylor. She's a true inspiration for sure. It's certainly not an easy disease to manage, I know this because my wife was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes a year after we got married. She was initially on shots, then the pump, and like Taylor, she now used the CGM. Here's the story on Taylor and the upcoming JDRF Gala for those who missed it: CLICK HERE.
Jessica Sellers from Hendersonville, Tennessee
Question: Greetings! My son and I are looking forward to the Draft Fest Party in a few weeks. Any idea of the alumni or players who will show up for the fans? We are hoping to snag some autographs for the first time in years since Training Camp has been blocked off. Thanks!
Jim: Hi Jessica. I haven't seen the confirmed list yet, but I think it's going to be a good number of former players.
Jon Kerlikowske from Franklin, Tennessee
Question: Hi Jim! 1st day of offseason workouts. Good to see Rashad Weaver in the arrival pictures. How is he progressing from his injury? He should be a good rotational player this year. Have heard the rumblings of AJ staying away from OTA's looking for a new contract. Because he had surgery on both knees, was he really going to participate in the early portion of the off-season program? With the draft approaching my favorite player for the Titans to target is tight end Jelani Woods. It might require our 3rd rounder to draft him. Happy off-season, Titan Up!
Jim: Hey Jon. I liked what I saw from Rashad before his injury last year, and I've heard good things about him this offseason. I actually asked the GM and HC about him at the NFL owners meetings, and I wrote a story about him for the website on Friday Check it out: CLICK HERE.
Jimmy Dee from Battle Ground, Washington
Question: Dear Jim, if you can get a couple of really good 2022 draft picks for AJ Brown, maybe it would be best to move on from him. If you move on from him that would make it easier for you to keep Jeff Simmons, Nate Davis, and Amani Hooker...and maybe even David Long Jr. Plus with those two early good 2022 draft picks you could add 2 WRs. Then you could use your own first-round pick on an offensive lineman and your 3rd round pick on a TE. I'm just saying that if AJ Brown isn't feeling reasonable maybe don't overpay for him. Maybe get some good draft compensation for him instead.
Jim: Hi Jimmy Dee. Personally, I'd rather have A.J. Brown than some draft picks who may or may not pan out.
Luke Freeman from Hendersonville, Tennessee
Question: Titans have had success with speedsters in the past at skill positions. I want to get your take on a Tyquan Thornton. For me he seems to be a little under the radar of a lot of teams but I feel his speed and athletic ability definitely deserves a look! What is your take on him?
Jim: He's a speedster! He ran a blazing fast time of 4.28 at the combine. The problem is that got the attention of a lot of teams. But he'd be a nice piece for the offense for sure.
Ruce Evans from Normandy, Tennessee
Question: Thanks Jim for your efforts to keep the Titans fans informed about team news and activities. One question: Have the Titans ever considered signing Colin Kaepernick as a backup for Ryan Tannehill? Although he is 34 and would attract some amount of controversy, he is a big and mobile quarterback with starting experience. It seems like he could be an effective and reasonably priced insurance policy if our starting quarterback was injured.
Jim: They've done their homework on him, and a lot of other guys. I don't think anything is in the works.
Scott Martin from Satellite Beach, Florida
Question: Sorry about mom, they are so important, I lost mine early, she was beautiful, enough said
To my question: Jim I have seen many years now of JRob drafts and for the most part I like his picks, some work , few don't, but believe he is good at his job for sure. My question is, of all the takes from the supposed experts weighing in and offering, which expert if any has nailed the pick the Titans actually take in the 1st round? Or are our picks different from their picks historically? Thank you sir and keep up the good work
Jim: Thanks, Scott. I wish I could tell you the history of the "experts" getting it right. Guys have been all over the place in past years. Back when I worked at The Tennessean I used to do mock drafts, and I'd predict the Titans pick in the first round. I had mixed results myself. I nailed the Marcus Mariota (2nd) and Vince Young (3rd) picks. I got Kenny Britt (30th) right. I correctly picked Chris Johnson (24th) in a few mocks as well. I also whiffed on some picks. I can tell you Todd McShay, Pete Prisco, Les Bowen, Josh Edwards, Paul Kuharsky, Ben Arthur, Terry McCormick, Buck Reising, Brent Dougherty, Darren McFarland and George Plaster were among those who got the selection of Caleb Farley to the Titans right last year.
Have a great weekend everyone!
