When the Titans owned the first overall pick in the draft, there was a lot of speculation that they’d use that pick on tackle Laremy Tunsil with designs on making him their left tackle of the future.
That didn’t happen as the Titans traded the pick to the Rams and then passed on Tunsil in favor of tackle Jack Conklin after moving back up to the eighth pick in the first round in another trade with the Browns. That decision may have been impacted by the infamous gas mask video that surfaced just before the start of the draft, but last year’s left tackle Taylor Lewan thinks it was because the team believes he’s the right man for the job.
“To me, honestly, I never thought anything of it because I know I’m not a right tackle,” Lewan said, via the Tennessean. “I’m a left tackle. I knew I was the left tackle for this team and I knew once I had the opportunity to talk to Mr. [Jon] Robinson and Coach [Mike] Mularkey that they would hear my piece and where I was from. And I respect them to the Nth degree. They’re unbelievable. An unbelievable G.M., an unbelievable coach, and I would do a lot for this team. But I know I came in here, I know my worth as a player, and I know that I’m a left tackle. So I think it’s my job now to prove that I can be more consistent this year and do those things. But as far as worrying about it and stuff like that, I never did, because I know the kind of player that I am.”
The Titans haven’t said how they’ll line up, but Conklin looks like a good fit right off the bat as the right tackle for Mularkey’s desired “exotic smashmouth” offense. The Titans picked up running back Derrick Henry and guard Sebastian Tretola to help on that front as well as they hope to build an offense that offers better support and protection for Marcus Mariota in his second season.