Next on the depth chart is the 2005 draft trio of Courtney Roby, Brandon Jones, and Roydell Williams. All three are very talented receivers with a lot of promise, and all three turned in solid rookie campaigns. Roydell looks to be a classic No. 2 receiver in the NFL, with good-but-not-great speed, solid hands, good route running, and the ability to separate from coverage underneath.
Jones looks to be a red-zone type of receiver down the line, with good hands, a good long and tough frame, and a great ability to go up and catch the ball. He's not the fastest of receivers, but he's quick out of his breaks and can put on a burst to create much-needed separation in the red zone.
Roby is the most intriguing of the bunch, with Chad Johnson-like ability down the field, with great speed, the ability to make the over-the-shoulder catch without breaking stride, and a willingness to go up and get the ball.
Also competing for roster spots are Bobby Wade and Jonathan Orr. Both are smaller, elusive receivers who can be weapons in the return game, but there is a potential that neither will make the roster as the team will likely stick with six receivers and will find it difficult to cut Calico or one of the young trio.
At tight end, the Titans have a young and explosive crop of talent. The unit is lead by veteran Erron Kinney, a well-rounded tight end who is a capable receiver and an able and willing blocker. His huge frame makes him a weapon underneath and in the red zone.
Backing him up and creating an intriguing two-TE tandem is Ben Troupe, a very athletic young man with a willingness to do whatever it takes to get the ball. Like Kinney, he's got a big and tall frame that he uses to go up and get the ball, and his solid hands and very good speed for a man his size makes him a threat across the middle of a defense.
Third on the depth chart is a man who would be the number two tight end on many teams and even the starter on some. Bo Scaife is just in his second year, but he surprised a lot of people in his rookie season, showing considerable explosiveness, crisp route-running, and a solid knack for getting open. The only weakness to his game is blocking, and he's been working all during the offseason to improve it.
Offensive line: This has been an extremely embattled unit over the past few seasons, facing a lot of injuries and a lot of turnover. At tackle, they have a bunch of second-year players and a guard/tackle swingman in his third season in the NFL. Michael Roos was a pleasant surprise out of Eastern Washington, stepping into the void created by the departure of Fred Miller without missing a beat. The Titans now hope that he can slide over to the other side of the line and do the same for the departed Brad Hopkins.
The probable starter on the right side is Jacob Bell, a guard/tackle swingman with tremendous athleticism and movement ability for a big man, and who's abilities should work well in the technique-based line system Norm Chow employs.
The current reserves at tackle are second-year men Daniel Loper and David Stewart, and both are in contention with Bell for the starting right tackle job. Loper is another tough and athletic tackle who can swing into either guard spot. He's the type who will go to attack his man rather than wait and let the defender come to him. Stewart is a classic mauler of a lineman who simply refuses to let go of his man once engaged. Problem is, he's limited laterally and has problems with faster linemen.
The interior line is where the veteran presence is, with 27 years of combined experience between the three projected starters, the bulk of which belongs to twelve-year veteran center Kevin Mawae, a man who's wearing down but still has enough in the tank to churn out a good season for a team that needs it. Behind him on the bench sits Eugene Amano, a kid with the ability to play center or guard. Amano's a very quick man for his size and a good technique blocker, but he lacks the bulk and strength needed to tangle with the bigger DTs effectively.
The starters at guard, Benji Olson and Zach Piller, are stalwart types of players with no quit in them. They're both a rare type of guard, guys who use a combination of technique and simple mauling to get the job done, and both do it very well. Their backups, Jacob Bell and Daniel Loper, are both on the depth chart at tackle as well, and Bell is currently penciled in as a starter there. As you can see, depth is something of a conern for the Titans, and they will be in a scramble to replace linemen who go down.
