[sv slug=”kengrant”]
The Tennessee Titans head into training camp with one of the most settled rosters in the National Football League. There simply are not many starting spots or major roles up for grabs as compared to other organizations. It is a remarkably complete, deep group. However, Titans rookie A.J. Brown is poised to make a major impact and possibly help put the team over the top in the ultra-competitive AFC South.
The opportunity to contribute immediately
The Tennessee Titans’ struggles at wide receiver have persisted for years. The team has not had a receiver compile more than 1,000 yards in a season since 2013 (Kendall Wright). The longest such active streak in the NFL. This drought was the impetus for drafting Corey Davis fifth overall in the 2017 NFL Draft. I have previously detailed why I believe Davis is on the verge of a major breakout campaign this season, but who will line up across from him?
This is where A.J. Brown will get his opportunity. Davis is a lock as the top target, and free agent Adam Humphries figures to feature in most personnel packages. Brown will be competing for snaps in a boundary role as well as in the slot (the Titans are very fluid in their receiver deployment). While veterans Tajae Sharpe and Taywan Taylor return, the job should be Brown’s to lose. He is quite simply the more talented player with the physicality, speed, and route-running ability to make an immediate difference for this Titans offense.
Brown’s pro-ready skillset
A.J. Brown is built like an action figure. He’s lean, compact, and incredibly muscular. These are not just vanity muscles either. The Ole Miss product is an absolute bully at the catch point and a load to bring down in the open field. Playing primarily in the slot at Ole Miss, Brown amassed 50 avoided tackles over his 3-year career (per PFF, subscription required). He is a runaway freight train in the open field. This tenacity is a skill that can play up immediately at the pro level and is a key element of the Tennessee Titans offense.
Physicality is not Brown’s only carrying attribute, however. He is also a savvy route-runner that hoodwinks defenders with varied speeds while attacking their leverage to lure them out of phase. This advanced feel for manipulating coverage is a big part of why Brown is one of the more NFL-ready receivers from the 2019 draft class. While many rookie wide receivers are overwhelmed by the steep increase in complexity and polished technique of the pro game, Brown should make for a quick study.
The ideal Titans football player
Brown isn’t just talented enough to seize this opportunity. He’s also an ideal stylistic and character fit for the Titans. Head Coach Mike Vrabel made it clear immediately the kind of football team he was going to field:
“We want to build a culture around winning, competitiveness and toughness.” Vrabel said when he was introduced as the Titans new head coach. “Everything we do is going to be geared towards winning and being physical. We want to prepare our players so they know what to do, which will allow them to play fast and aggressive.”
This describes A.J. Brown perfectly. He plays fast, physical, and is ultra-competitive. He is exactly the kind of player Vrabel loves. In short, he plays Tennessee Titans football.
Brown also brings versatility that really fits how the team uses their pass-catchers. While some teams are very static with their alignments and usage, the Titans are incredibly dynamic. They use the big slot, receivers slotted in tight as second tight ends, tight ends and backs split out as receivers, and just about any other variation you can think of to keep defenses from gleaning anything from personnel packages alone. This plays perfectly into Brown’s versatility. The Titans’ playbook will have no shortage of familiar concepts that can get him involved early and often.
The master and the apprentice
A.J. Brown’s skill set is conducive to contributing immediately for the Tennessee Titans. But, it also helps that he is being mentored by Corey Davis to accelerate the process. A relationship that began immediately after Brown was drafted:
“I think it’s just in him,” Brown said. “He’s a great guy. Day one, when I got drafted, he hit me up. He texted me, said, ‘Congratulations.’ Stuff like that. So he kind of laid that foundation early.”
While veteran-rookie apprenticeships are fairly common, they don’t pay dividends unless the rookie is humble and open-minded. Luckily for the Titans, Brown has been all ears:
“He’s a great teacher. Definitely going to listen to him. Like I said, he’s done it, and he’s done it at a high level. It’s proven. It’s on film. So he’s a great teacher.”
“You’ve got to pay the cost to be the boss. So I’m out here with Corey – that’s the guy,” Brown said. “Like I said, me learning everything I can, me getting these extra reps after practice are going to roll onto the field when we practice.”
The two have been particularly focused on dealing with press coverage and getting off of jams. Something Brown is sure to see more of moving from the slot near-exclusively to more boundary work in the NFL:
“Releases. Just working my hands a lot,” Brown said. “We’re bigger receivers, so a lot of guys probably try to jam us that are smaller. Just being stronger (than them).”
Davis has certainly made a point to take Brown under his wing. A critical aspect of becoming a team leader. His motivations aren’t entirely selfless though. The third-year veteran acknowledges the extra repetitions will go a long way to elevating his own game too:
“They’re huge,” Davis said. “I mean some of the time we don’t get all the reps that we want at practice. So we’ve got to come out here and just put in the extra work, catch extra balls, extra releases, whatever it may be, to kind of take our game to the next level, and that’s what we’re going to do.”
The 2019 outlook
A.J. Brown enters this season as one of best player-team fits from the 2019 draft class. He is a high-ceiling prospect at the team’s biggest position of need on an otherwise well-rounded, relatively stacked roster. Furthermore, he mirrors the team’s personality. He matches the culture Mike Vrabel has cultivated during his tenure. I expect him to be among the finalists Offensive Rookie of the Year and potentially help propel the Tennessee Titans into AFC South, and possibly conference title, contention.
Ken Grant is a writer for PFN covering the AFC South. You can follow him @KenGrantPFN on Twitter.