If healthy, the Indianapolis Colts will have one of the top cornerback duos in the league next season. However, the Tennessee Titans will also likely give Sauce Gardner and Charvarius Ward a run for their money.
With Brian Daboll now calling the shots on offense and a revamped supporting cast, the Titans expect Cam Ward to do much better in year two. The bar isn't particularly high, but this is something to keep an eye on nonetheless.
Notably, plenty of the team's projected offensive growth will run through Carnell Tate. The Ohio State star was the first wide receiver off the board in this class, and Coach Daboll just turned some heads with his latest assessment.
The Indianapolis Colts have to keep a close eye on Carnell Tate
"He's smart," Daboll told the Titans' website. "He's got good ball skills. Everything we saw on tape at Ohio State, he's come in, he's acclimated himself well, as all the rookies have... For a young player, we've thrown a lot at these guys, and he's picked it up extremely well. I've done this for a long time. In terms of picking it up, he's been one of the top of the skill positions."
Of course, this might be just coach talk, and it's not like he'll say anything different from his new team's reigning first-round pick. That said, he's worked with Stefon Diggs, Calvin Ridley, and Malik Nabers, just to name a few, so this should definitely resonate.
There were major doubts about whether Tate could deal with being the go-to guy in the pros, since he was always the Robin to Jeremiah Smith's Batman. He may not have to be 'the man' right out of the gate, though, as they also signed Wan'Dale Robinson.
Whether he'll be a star or a very good supporting player remains to be seen, but the Colts' pass defense has plenty of room for improvement. They gave up the second-most passing yards per game (247.9), and while a healthy Gardner will certainly help with that, there's not that much margin for error.
Even with a subpar defense, the Colts still managed to sweep the Titans, outscoring them 79-34. They were one of the few teams that failed to make the most of Lou Anarumo's shaky secondary and exploit their weaknesses in the passing game.
Most experts and fans thought the Titans would lean toward defense with their first-round pick, especially after appointing Robert Saleh as their new head coach. That speaks volumes about how they feel about Carnell Tate and the big plans they may have for him.
Still, at the end of the day, matchups matter as much as schemes and play-calling, and the Colts should have all they need to neutralize Tate, an efficient but not explosive playmaker, and his erratic quarterback. Again, they just have to stay healthy.
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