Titans have high hopes for Taylor Thompson

[PonyPride]

Converted Defensive End

After being selected in the fifth round in 2012 out of Southern Methodist University, the Titans immediately began converting the 6-foot-6, 290-pounder to tight end. As early as rookie minicamp in 2012, The Sporting News reported, "Thompson showed elite athleticism similar to New England Patriots star Rob Gronkowski." Although that’s obviously the highest possible ceiling a tight end these days can get, the ringing endorsement is a compliment to his tremendous size and athleticism.

The Titans naturally brought him along slowly last season after playing exclusively at defensive end for four years at SMU. He saw single-digit snaps in each of the first three weeks, but as he picked up more of the offense he started to play more. As a willing blocker, he offered Chris Palmer and later, Dowell Loggains more versatility than Jared Cook. He still had to contend with Craig Stevens, so Thompson never saw over 40% of the Titans’ offensive snaps in a single game until the final week of the season, when he saw 54 out of 55 snaps.

However, Thompson didn’t get many chances to catch passes. Of his 265 snaps, just 31% came on a play where he went out for a pass. Additionally, of his 12 targets, just four came 10+ yards beyond the line of scrimmage. Clearly, the Titans used kid gloves to ease their young tight end into the offense. That could change with an entirely new offense and a make-or-break season for the coach and quarterback.

https://www.profootballfocus.com/blog/2 ... -thompson/