Drilling in: Titans unit by unit analysis

QUARTERBACKS: Starter -- Marcus Mariota. Backups -- Blaine Gabbert, Luke Falk. After three years in two different systems that were not really centered around his skill set so much, Marcus Mariota will have this Titans' offense tailored to him. That means it will contain lots of short, quick timing routes with receivers expected to make plays for him with yards after the catch. It also should allow Mariota to improvise and run either with scrambles or by design. The good news in bringing Gabbert on board is that the journeyman has enough mobility that if Mariota misses time with an injury, the Titans won't have to ditch half the playbook like they did when Matt Cassel was the backup. Falk is a sixth-round rookie and a project the Titans hope will be an eventual No. 2 quarterback. RUNNING BACKS: Starter -- Derrick Henry. Backups -- Dion Lewis, David Fluellen, Akrum Wadley, Dalyn Dawkins. Henry becomes the No. 1 running back, but Lewis, who comes over from the Patriots, is likely to be 1A, as he brings an element as a receiver out of the backfield that the Titans have not had in quite some time. The two should combine to be a solid duo for the Titans. Fluellen has a chance to stay on as the third back, though Wadley, an undrafted rookie from Iowa, could have a shot there as well with a strong preseason. WIDE RECEIVERS: Starters -- Rishard Matthews, Corey Davis. Backups -- Taywan Taylor, Tajae Sharpe, Michael Campanaro, Nick Williams, Deontay Burnett, Jordan Veazy, Darius Jennings, Brandon Shippen, Cameron Batson. The Titans' new offense -- judging from the Rams model of a year ago -- should have more three-wide looks than before when two tight ends was the base offense for Tennessee. That means that not only does Davis need to step up in a big way in year two, but so does Taylor, who was lost as a rookie at times last year. The Titans believe Davis has No. 1 receiver potential, but for now, Matthews may hang onto that role. Sharpe is back after missing last season. Campanaro, a free agent from the Ravens, was injured midway through OTAs. Of the long shots, Burnett, Veazy and Jennings all had their moments in the offseason, but any of that trio would have to show a lot in preseason to stick. TIGHT ENDS: Starter -- Delanie Walker, Jonnu Smith. Backups -- Phillip Supernaw, Luke Stocker, Tim Semisch, Ethan Wolf, Anthony Firkser. Walker just keeps on ticking. He is approaching 34 and is still playing at a high enough level that the case can be made that he is still one of the Titans' most indispensable players. The coaches hope that Smith will grow into an eventual replacement for Walker, if the latter does start to slip. Behind those two, Stocker is primarily a blocker, and Supernaw is a special teams contributor. The others are long shots/practice-squad material. OFFENSIVE LINEMEN: Starters -- LT Taylor Lewan, LG Quinton Spain, C Ben Jones, RG Josh Kline, RT Jack Conklin. Backups -- T Dennis Kelly, C/G Corey Levin, G Xavier Su'a-Filo, G/T Kevin Pamphile, T Tyler Marz, T Matt Diaz, T John Theus, G Cody Wichmann, G Aaron Stinnie, C Nico Falah. There are question marks in a unit that was previously considered solid entering camp a year ago. Lewan is still top notch at left tackle, but will he be there at the start if contract talks lag? Conklin is likely to miss camp and maybe even some of the regular season while recovering from ACL surgery. That means Kelly will man the right tackle slot in the interim. Jones will start again at center, but either of the two guards -- Spain or Kline -- will have competition from Su'a-Filo and Pamphile in preseason. Of the young linemen vying for backup spots, Levin has a leg up as a 2016 draft pick. The previous regime was high on Marz, but who knows if that will help him with a new coaching staff. DEFENSIVE LINEMEN: Starters -- LDE DaQuan Jones, NT Austin Johnson, RDE Jurrell Casey. Backups -- NT Bennie Logan, DE David King, DE Kevin Dodd, DE Julius Warmsley, DE Connor Flagel, DE Matt Dickerson, DT Mike Ramsay. Casey continues to be a top-shelf performer and is in better shape than in years past. The Titans re-signed Jones in the offseason and he could play some on the nose as well. Logan replaces a disappointing Sylvester Williams who was released. Johnson will vie to be a starter with his ability to play both end and nose. King played a few reps last year after being picked up in a trade. Dodd, who has been a bust at outside linebacker, needs an impressive camp either there or at end to stick on the roster. LINEBACKERS: Starters --LOLB Derrick Morgan, LILB Wesley Woodyard, RILB Rashaan Evans, ROLB Brian Orakpo. Backups -- OLB Harold Landry, ILB Jayon Brown, ILB Will Compton, ILB Nate Palmer, OLB Aaron Wallace, ILB Daren Bates, OLB Josh Carraway, OLB Gimel President, LB Robert Spillane, LB Nick DeLuca. Morgan and Orakpo are still productive, but are entering the last year of their contracts. The Titans hope that second-round pick Landry will provide a boost in the pass rush. Wallace missed most of last year with an injury, but is a contributor. On the inside, Woodyard found a fountain of youth last year by changing his diet and turning in a productive season. Rookie first-round pick Evans gets a shot to start immediately alongside Woodyard, while Compton provides insurance. Brown did well as a nickel linebacker as a rookie last year, while Palmer and Bates are both special teams standouts. DEFENSIVE BACKS: Starters -- LCB Adoree' Jackson, RCB Malcolm Butler, SS Johnathan Cyprien, FS Kevin Byard. Backups -- CB Logan Ryan (nickel back), CB Tye Smith, CB Kalan Reed, CB LeShaun Sims, S Brynden Trawick, DB Dane Cruikshank, S Kendrick Lewis, DB Demontre Hurst, CB Joseph Este, CB Jarell Carter, CB Josh Kalu, CB Rico Gafford, S Damon Webb. The secondary has a chance to be an asset for the Titans this year. The signing of Butler as a free agent moves Ryan to the nickel-back spot, while Jackson should improve in year two. Byard was an All-Pro last season, and Cyprien came on after missing most of the first half of the season with a hamstring injury. Backup corners Smith, Sims and Reed have acquitted themselves well when pressed into action. Cruikshank is a rookie who will back up at safety. SPECIAL TEAMS: K Ryan Succop, P Brett Kern, KOR/PR Adoree' Jackson, KOR Michael Campanaro, KOR Dion Lewis, LS Beau Brinkley. Kern and Succop both had remarkable seasons for the Titans a year ago and there is no reason to think they won't continue to excel. Jackson and Lewis are far and away the best return options on punts and kickoffs respectively, but there is the argument that they are too valuable at their primary positions to risk on special teams.