PHOENIX – Free agency, at least the bulk of it, is in the rear-view mirror.
The NFL Draft is on the horizon.
At the NFL owners meetings on Monday, Titans General Manager Mike Borgonzi had a lot to discuss when speaking with reporters at the Arizona Biltmore.
Here's a look at some of the highlights:
-The NFL Draft is now just over three weeks away. Borgonzi said the team has put itself in a position to take the "best player available, no matter what the position is," with the fourth overall pick, and throughout the draft. Borgonzi made this point again and again. "Where we're at right now, we want to take the best player available," he said. "It depends on your roster construction, too, but where we are at, we are taking the best player available. … We are taking the best football player."
-Borgonzi said he expects potential trade conversations to pick up in the coming weeks as it relates to the fourth pick. "Our phone lines are always open," he said. "We're going to do what is best for us, whether moving up or down during the draft. And, typically around this time, once you get back (from the owners meetings), that starts to pick up a little bit. That is a common thing, though, we call each other. … These conversations are ongoing over the next few weeks here."
-Borgonzi said quarterback Cam Ward, who is recovering from last year's shoulder injury, has started to pick up some of the "throwing progression" last week. "We'll take it week by week here," he said. "But he is on track."
-Asked about the team signing veteran quarterback Mitchell Trubisky, and whether he will be Ward's back-up, Borgonzi didn't commit to anything while also praising Will Levis. "I think you can't have enough good quarterbacks in the room," he said. "Will has been great, he has been in there working out and I know he is ready to go, feels healthy. I think everyone has a clean slate in terms of the back-ups there. Cam is obviously the starter, but competition brings out the best in everyone."
-Borgonzi said the team is "keeping all options open" on the interior line, after the additions of center Austin Schlottmann and guard Cordell Volson in free agency. The team parted ways with center Lloyd Cushenberry last month and last year's starting right guard, Kevin Zeitler, remains a free agent. Borgonzi didn't rule out the possibility of Zeitler being re-signed, but he didn't indicate the team has any plans in the immediate future to do so either. "We are not done there," Borgonzi said of the interior line. "We have the draft, and after the draft. There will be competition at center, there will be competition at right guard and obviously Jackson (Slater) is a second-year player … and he did some good things." Borgonzi said there are some good options interior-wise in the draft.
-Borgonzi addressed the trade for edge rusher Jermaine Johnson for the first time. The Titans sent T'Vondre Sweat to the Jets in exchange for Johnson. "I had a conversation with T'Vondre the day we made the trade, and it was just a situation where in Aaron Glenn's defense (with the Jets) it's the 34 nose, and we switched schemes. And I think T'Vondre is going to be a great fit in that defense, and vice versa, on the other side getting Jermaine who has played edge in this defense. So, we thought it was fair value for both teams, and that's why we went player for player. … (Jermaine) has length, he can play the run with violence, he has violent hands. And he is going to be better coming off the Achilles, year two now. We are excited about him."
-Borgonzi was asked if Miami edge rusher Rueben Bain can play the Wide 9 in Robert Saleh's defense, and he said it was one of the better things he did at Miami. "He came crashing down, barreling down," Borgonzi said. "Yeah, he can do that." Borgonzi said he enjoyed Bain's 30 visit with the Titans. "He was great," Borgonzi said. "These 30 visits are set up for different reasons, and we wanted to give him an opportunity to go through the whole building and meet everybody. … He did a great job."
-Borgonzi said the team's 30 visit with Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love also went well while also speaking complimentary of running backs Tony Pollard, Tyjae Spears and Kalel Mullings a few moments later. "I feel good about (our) running backs."
-Borgonzi said it was a "tough decision" to part ways with veteran cornerback L'Jarius Sneed. "I have a ton of respect for L'Jaruis – I was with him in Kansas City for a long time," he said. "I'll keep those conversations between us, but it was the best thing for our organization at the time."
