NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- With free agency and the draft in the rear-view mirror and organized team activities and minicamp in full swing, here’s a prediction of who could be in the starting lineup for the Tennessee Titans when the season kicks off in September:
OFFENSE
QB: Marcus Mariota – Coming off a broken right fibula suffered in Week 16 that required a plate to repair it, Mariota will head into his third season with an enhanced stable of weapons.
RB: DeMarco Murray – A workhorse back in his first season in Tennessee will maintain the role, even with solid youngster Derrick Henry providing great depth.
TE: Delanie Walker – He’s 33 but has shown no signs of slowing down. He had 65 catches in 2016, tied for the most on the team.
LT: Taylor Lewan – The 2014 first-rounder matured and settled in in 2016, with a Pro Bowl season that showed he should be a lock-down guy for years to come.
LG: Quinton Spain – A strong guy who improved a great deal in his second year thanks in part to the guidance of Hall of Famer Russ Grimm, the Titans' offensive line coach.
C: Ben Jones -- A scrapper who offers no-nonsense leadership to the group that keyed the Titans' resurgence last season.
RG: Josh Kline – Stepped in early on in 2016 after Chance Warmack went down, but could face a challenge from Sebastian Tretola or Tim Lelito.
RT: Jack Conklin – How good a move was it for the Titans to trade up for him in the 2016 first round? He produced an All-Pro season as a rookie.
TE: Jonnu Smith – The Titans view the third-rounder from Florida International as a capable in-line blocker, so he could quickly be cast in that role. Phillip Supernaw could be here at the start.
WR: Rishard Matthews – A free agent from Miami last year, he got increasingly better during his first year with Mariota and tied for the team lead in catches (65) with a team-best nine TD receptions.
WR: Corey Davis – The No. 5 pick in the draft is expected to offer a different dynamic to the offense, with excellent run-after-catch abilities.
DEFENSE
DE: Jurrell Casey – An underrated presence who has been to the last two Pro Bowls. He provides a constant, disruptive push as a base end and nickel tackle.
NT: Sylvester Williams – Signed as a free agent, he gets the spot in the middle of the defense previously held by Al Woods, who was let go and landed in Indianapolis.
DE: DaQuan Jones – A big, rugged end who stops the run and can penetrate. Gets chances inside beside Casey as a tackle at times.
ROLB: Brian Orakpo – The veteran is coming off a 10.5-sack season during which he consistently showed up in the pass rush with 49 pressures.
ILB: Avery Williamson – A smart player and solid tackler, he had some lapses against tight ends in coverage, an area where the Titans might need to reduce his responsibilities.
ILB: Wesley Woodyard – The veteran fared well in the base defense last season, but he yielded to since-departed Sean Spence in nickel. Rookie Jayon Brown could get that nickel role this year.
LOLB: Derrick Morgan – Just missed double-digit sacks last year in what probably qualified as the best of his seven seasons.
CB: Logan Ryan – A veteran addition who was part of two Super Bowl winners in New England, he brings better ball skills than the Titans have had at corner in some time.
FS: Kevin Byard – After an impressive rookie season, he is likely to play more as a ball-hawking center fielder after the addition of Johnathan Cyprien.
SS: Johnathan Cyprien -- A solid, forward-moving safety who can be a big part of stuffing the run, but was not a great coverage player in four years with the Jaguars.
CB: Adoree' Jackson – A fast corner with great ball skills, the question is about his 5-foot-10, 186-pound frame. The Titans will look to match him up with smaller, faster receivers.
SPECIAL TEAMS
K: Ryan Succop -- Missed just two of 24 field-goal attempts in 2016, and they were from 51 and 58 yards. Nailed a 53-yarder as time expired to clinch an improbable win in freezing Arrowhead Stadium in Week 15.
P: Brett Kern -- Dropped 32 of his 77 punts inside the 20 last season, with a net average of 38.6 yards, working with a less-than-stellar coverage team.
KR: Eric Weems – Comes to the Titans from Atlanta and will be able to cover kicks as well as returning them in Tennessee.
PR: Adoree’ Jackson – A blazer who averaged 12.6 yards per punt return in three seasons at USC and took four of 46 chances back for touchdowns.