Titans Could Have an Age Problem
![Dec 31, 2023; Houston, Texas, USA; Tennessee Titans wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins (10) makes a reception as Houston Texans safety DeAndre Houston-Carson (30) attempts to make a tackle during the first quarter at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports Dec 31, 2023; Houston, Texas, USA; Tennessee Titans wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins (10) makes a reception as Houston Texans safety DeAndre Houston-Carson (30) attempts to make a tackle during the first quarter at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,w_3516,h_1977,x_0,y_0/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images/ImagnImages/mmsport/all_titans/01j2ej4n6gpa9yxc3k36.jpg)
The Tennessee Titans made some massive changes to their offense in the past two years, but especially this past offseason.
The team added several new skill players in free agency that should give a new look to the Tennessee offense, but do they have too much mileage on them?
ESPN writer Bill Barnwell seems to think so, placing the Titans at No. 19 in a skill player ranking for all 32 NFL teams. He cited the ages of the top players as part of the reason behind the ranking.
"DeAndre Hopkins is 32, and while he's coming off his first full season since 2020, he had to be rotated and played just 72% of the offensive snaps. Free agent addition Calvin Ridley turns 30 in December and has one top-15 fantasy season on his résumé. Tyler Boyd turns 30 a month earlier and has seen his receiving yardage drop each of the past four seasons. And Tony Pollard, the team's replacement for Derrick Henry, was markedly inefficient after returning from a fractured fibula, even while playing behind an excellent offensive line in Dallas," Barnwell writes.
All of these experienced players were added to give second-year quarterback Will Levis a security blanket or two to help him out in the offense this year. By adding talented receivers like Boyd and Ridley, it puts the Titans in a position to be able to truly evaluate Levis and see if he has what it takes to be a franchise quarterback. However, if they underperform, then the Titans are shooting themselves in the foot. All of these acquisitions would have been made to set them back even further.
There's reason to believe the Titans can figure it out and turn things around after finishing in last place in the AFC South. However, the newly-acquired skill players are a big part of that. Sure, Levis needs to be good, but if his targets aren't executing the way they should, the Titans are going to be digging themselves further into a hole that will have them going nowhere even faster.