The Tennessee Titans made a stunning move when the team signed left tackle Dan Moore Jr. from the Pittsburgh Steelers in free agency.
The surprise didn't come with the fact that the Titans signed an offensive lineman because they certainly needed one, but the shock is due to the fact that Tennessee struggled mostly at right tackle last season and the $82 million price tag that came with it.
Those reasons were why The Athletic writer Mike Jones gave the Titans a "D" for their signing of Moore.
"The 2021 Pittsburgh fourth-rounder certainly looks the part at 6-foot-5, 315 pounds," Jones writes.
"However, he has struggled, surrendering the most sacks (34) and pressures (181) in the NFL since 2021. Can he develop into a more reliable protector in Tennessee, where the Titans allowed 52 sacks in 2024, sixth-most in the NFL?"
Things could have been worse for the Titans, but the saving grace that prevents them from earning an "F" is likely due to the fact that Tennessee needed an offensive tackle as much as a man needs water in the desert.
JC Latham, the No. 7 overall pick from last year's draft, did a decent job on the left side, but it isn't a big deal for him to move to the right, where he played in college at Alabama.
The Titans need Moore to work as the left tackle because they have invested a lot into him. If he can find a way to get better under the guidance of legendary offensive line coach Bill Callahan, he can prove Jones and all of his critics wrong by protecting the blindside of Will Levis or whoever will stand under center for the Titans next season.
Titans Re-Sign Veteran Center
The Tennessee Titans are fortifying the depth of their offensive line.
According to team reporter Jim Wyatt, the Titans have agreed to terms with veteran offensive lineman Corey Levin.
"Levin, who played in college at Chattanooga, has signed a new deal with the team that drafted in him the sixth round of the 2017 NFL Draft," Wyatt writes.
"Levin has played in 71 games for the Titans, with five starts, since 2017. He's had several stints with the squad, and also spent time on rosters with the Broncos, Bears, Patriots, Jets during his career."
Levin, 30, played in 10 games for the Titans this season with one start in Week 17 on the road against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
He filled in during Week 9 when Lloyd Cushenberry III went down with an Achilles injury, and then sporadically appeared late in the year on offense.
Levin is expected to come back to the Titans as Cushenberry's backup again this season, where Tennessee looks to have a better offensive line.
Levin also has experience playing guard if needed, but the hope for the Titans is that veteran guard Kevin Zeitler, who signed a one-year, $9 million contract after leaving the Detroit Lions, can be the long-term answer at that spot.
This signing is strictly for depth, but having a familiar face in the locker room and to the first-stringers could have a strong impact behind the scenes for the Titans.
