The summer usually brings some reality after the off-season hope and excitement.
This year was no different.
The Titans are in the market for a WR. Most of the WRs couldn't beat out Van Jefferson.
If you pause on those two sentences that yields a NOT good vibe for a slew of (likely) thoughts you probably had.
I said in the beginning and it's come back around- the 4th round WRs are 4th round WRs. It's just so..well it's expected, if we didn't let the hope and post draft talk cloud our minds.
Elic seems like he could be something. Somewhat raw to start but developing and at real good pace. His ability to mess up, learn, and do it right has been fantastic.
Dike is a clear step behind. His development is really quite normal. He takes a couple days. Maybe they're explaining things or having to also illustrate with film. It's fine. There isn't a bad word about this kid's attitude or work ethic or anything.
Restrepo is a dream person to add to a team. He's just so wonderful in so many ways.
That's a real good three and a solid chunk of the draft class (UDFA gets tangled in sometimes) for the GM to hang his hat on.
Will he though? Most GMs do. They keep everyone from their initial draft class like it builds their ego or something.
The drafted rookies gotta get spacing down and stay in their lanes regardless if they get bumped or pushed. They've had a time with this. Elic has grasped it. As I understand it, Dike is still working on it.
Elic uses his body and plays so tall. You'd think he was 6-4 6-5 on some of these. He's got nifty cuts that remind me of crossover dribbles. He's blessed with great hands.
Dike has a turbo button to him. He can push it and take off running. Every one that adored how he uses his hips predraft seems to say he's not comfortable yet because he's not doing that. Soon soon he should be showing this blessed way of shifting his route 90 degrees real smoothly.
Restrepo is just a slot and he looks like a slot playing wide when he goes wide. Is this a passe role in the NFL? Not a lot of teams are looking for an Edelman or Welker. They talk of big slots and moving guys around just like the Titans do. I think he's gonna be like a great fullback in camp. We love ya but there isn't a role for you. Wanna be on the PS?
Oliver is like ready to become a premier ST stud making an all pro list as a ST or somesuch. He gets 90 grades for ST from PFF and everyone raves and...I mean I guess that's how that happens. As a WR, he's spent an awful lot of time with the ones. He seems to have made a single mistake and a single drop since spring. His my ball mentality is outstanding. He never gets the starting spot though. Why? Lack of freakish elite athleticism? He clearly can hang with anyone and hold his own. He's made just a ton of plays and obviously developed trust from Ward and even Ridley. So why? He's either the surprise guy or the staff sees something that's a negative. Ya gotta wonder here why he's seemed to do more than enough yet never got the role.
Lockett has been a classic old guy joining the Titans and idk if he's got a couple years left anymore. A gem of a leader. A great guy. He flashes some of his classic plays in practice. But he missed a ton of time already and he puts his leg in some blow up hypobaric thing. I have my fears he's Andre Johnson joining the Titans. They say it's just a pro that learned maintenance. Yeah well my head thinks different.
Van Jefferson is an excellent blocker and very ordinary receiver. Nothing has changed. He's always been willing to play ST and has done so in spots.
Prosche is way more than expected. He's been very good as a WR. When he gets a rare chance with Ward, he does fine too. It's just he's been stuck at third string. He's pretty good as a returner, reliable.
Jahquan is still a speedy little water bug. Is there a spot for him. The ST coach singled him out- not Prosche- as a talented returner.
Elic looks inexperienced on ST and is trying but out of sorts. He's gotta do better with angles and probably never played defense the way he looks. The hustle and effort and fight are there. Dike has had a few nice returns but he gets like three every day so that's not a good rate. The ST coach said he did not have confidence in Dike yet.
As far as making the team, traditionally Dike gets cut, added to PS, and onto the roster midseason. I oh so highly oh so strongly doubt that happens. If you're 5th 6th WR ya gotta play ST and do it pretty well too. They need a spot to keep him around for so many weeks til things click and he develops. I think Spears' injury is it. (Sorry to go RB here but ) Mullings looks like a good solid hard nosed runner but he doesn't play ST well and he's OMG bad at pass blocking. That traditionally puts him on the PS. They can't make excuses for both and Dike yields sooo much more hope and higher ceiling.
They are also loaded at safety and probably want to keep five or six at least temporarily. Big picture is they can trade one or two. They can't let Mullings wreck that by holding up a roster spot and he can't play if he can't protect the #1 pick.
I guess their Interest in a WR is 2 for 1. They want a real good WR that can afford them to let Lockett and Jefferson go. The roster fits nicely then and patience is added too.
Above reasoning or Jefferson released- I don't expect they have any issues with Oliver backed by Elic at a spot. I bet they'd be pretty comfortable about it and maybe quickly enthused. It's a risk but a pretty safe one.
If Jefferson stays, I can't make the numbers work without someone good being cut. He's been nothing but professional and I'd feel bad for him but it is what it is.
I think it's all rooted in "yeah we're not cutting Dike so how do we make this work?"
One last time, the ceiling is there and evident he's just not quite ready.
