National Football League

Titans free agency preview: Tennessee needs to find a QB

Published Feb. 27, 2015 9:29 a.m. ET

Ross Jones

Ken Whisenhunt's second season comes with the challenge of finding a franchise quarterback.

With Jake Locker set to test free agency, second-year quarterback Zach Mettenberger could assume that role. That's if the Titans' brass doesn't spend the No. 2 overall pick on a rookie quarterback. Another avenue worth exploring is free agency. There are other areas of concern, however.

Having built their offensive line through the draft, the Titans certainly have areas of strength. The challenge is finding players who complement one another in a division that could be on the upswing.

How they finished

2014: 2-14 -- No postseason

2013: 7-9 -- No postseason

Projected salary cap space as of Feb. 1 (per Spotrac.com): 5th most with $34.8M

Potential free agency targets: With a load of cap space, expect general manager Ruston Webster to make a splash. The defense must get better on the back end as coordinator Ray Horton employs a very aggressive scheme. Seattle's Byron Maxwell and Cleveland's Buster Skrine are pure cover corners who would excel in Tennessee. Don't rule out Tennessee in the Ndamukong Suh sweepstakes if the run-stuffing defensive tackle hits the open market.

Potential cap casualties: Since signing a five-year, $35 million deal in 2012, safety Michael Griffin has been one of the most overpaid players at his position. Griffin has undergone labrum surgery this offseason is set to have a knee procedure in the near future. The 30-year-old has a cap number of $8.1 million in 2015, and the Titans can save about half that if they cut him. This is one of those cases in which decision makers must ask whether the production outweighs the price tag.

Offseason needs: QB, DE and CB

Notable free agents:

QB Jake Locker

OLB Derrick Morgan

OG Chris Spencer

DT Karl Klug

RB/KR Leon Washington

WR Nate Washington

S George Wilson

TE Chase Coffman

OLB Quentin Groves

WR Derek Hagan