Four Players The Tennessee Titans Should Target in Free Agency

Free agency is the most foolish time of the NFL offseason.  It's where teams like the Redskins throw their money at big name players hoping to buy a Super Bowl ring.

Free agency isn't the best way to build a championship team, but it's a chance to fill holes and give teams the luxury of drafting the best available player come April.

The Tennessee Titans enter free agency with gaping holes at defensive end, cornerback, and outside linebacker.  Needs at return specialist and receiver also exist.

The only two returning defensive ends on the roster are William Hayes and Jacob Ford.  The Titans struggled to get pressure on the quarterback all year.  Half their sacks came against the Pittsburgh Steelers which shouldn't even count.

Other than Cortland Finnegan, the Titans don't have a starting caliber player at cornerback.  Ryan Mouton and Jason McCourty will be heading into just their second seasons.  It shouldn't be hard to find a replacement for the MTP, Most Targeted Player, Nick Harper.

Keith Bulluck is likely gone with a torn ACL and headed to free agency.  With David Thornton in the final year of his contract, the Titans need to find a new outside linebacker.  Gerald McRath looks good enough to start on one side, but the other is wide open after Thornton leaves.

The Titans average 20.5 yards per kickoff return in 2009.  That number is a complete joke.  An effective return specialist must be added.

No receiver on the Titans caught fifty balls last season.  A number one receiver is probably more of a want than a need, but a receiver that opponents actually have to account for may lessen the number of eight-man boxes Chris Johnson sees in 2010.

Here are four players the Titans should attack in free agency.

Clifton Smith, Return Specialist, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

I would be stunned if the Titans didn't have the worst return team in the league last season.  They shuffled through countless players just trying to find someone who could catch a punt.

Clifton Smith is the best returner in free agency.  Smith would give the Titans the spark on special teams that has been lacking since the days of Pacman Jones.

Dunta Robinson, Cornerback, Houston Texans

The Titans love to steal players from divisional opponents (see David Thornton, Nick Harper, and Jake Scott).

Corner is a position of need the Titans must attack in free agency.  They are too young to draft another cornerback. 

Dunta Robinson is a very solid and could easily start opposite of Cortland Finnegan.  Not only that, the Titans would be taking away the Houston Texan's number one cornerback.

If the Titans missed out on Smith and Robinson, Ellis Hobbs is a solid corner and a great kickoff returner.  Justin Miller is also an option at return specialist.

Shawn Merriman, Defensive End, San Diego Chargers

Yes, I know he is an outside linebacker.  Yes, I know he's a head case.  I just really don't like any of the options there for the Titans at number seventeen come draft day. 

Derrick Morgan will be gone and Jason Pierre-Paul, Carlos Dunlap, and Everson Griffen all are high-bust rate type players.

If the Titans coaching staff believes Merriman can play in a 4-3 defense, I think he would be a great sign.  The passion "Lights Out" plays with is something the Titans defense lacked last season.

Ray Edwards is also a good, young defensive end that would be an upgrade, but I don't know if his production was a result of playing next to Jared Allen and the Williams twins (Pat and Kevin, not Venus and Serena).

Brandon Marshall, Wide Receiver, Denver Broncos

Receiver is not the Titans number one need unlike past off seasons, but there may not be a better year to pick one up.

Brandon Marshall would give the Titans a legit number one receiver.  A receiving core of Marshall, Kenny Britt, Nate Washington, and Justin Gage would be lethal.

Sure, Marshall has had a couple off the field problems in the last few years, but he is well worth the risk.

There are also number one receiving options in Miles Austin, Vincent Jackson, and Braylon Edwards.  Any one of them would give Tennessee one of the most feared offenses in the league.

This is truly the year of the receiver.