The Tennessee Titans have a massive division game against the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday that could possibly leapfrog them to the top of the standings if everything goes their way.
This is the Titans’ first AFC South showdown of the year and it couldn’t have come at a better time, considering Tennessee built a ton of momentum last week during its 24-point victory over the Cincinnati Bengals.
Buy Titans TicketsThere are a lot of viable candidates when it comes to this week’s “gimme him” article.
The four that were strongly considered but ultimately not chosen were quarterback Anthony Richardson, left guard Quenton Nelson, center Ryan Kelly and wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr.
Richardson would’ve been my choice out of those four, but I at least want to see what Will Levis has before going with the Colts signal-caller, because I genuinely believe he could be just as good or even better if given time to develop, which clearly he is.
Plus, Ryan Tannehill has shown that he’s still capable of being a high-caliber quarterback as long as he has adequate time to operate.
As for the other three players, they’re known commodities who are having good seasons in their own right, but it’s hard for me not to snatch someone who could potentially fix the Titans’ biggest need for the next decade.
I’m going with the talented left tackle the Titans probably should’ve taken in the third round of last year’s draft when they had the chance.
Going into the 2022 NFL draft, Bernhard Raimann was considered a high-ceiling but raw offensive lineman who had an intriguing but unpolished skill set as a former tight end converted to a left tackle.
That intrigue is becoming undeniable because his untapped potential is starting to develop into something special.
Bernhard Raimann is becoming a stalwart at left tackle for the #Colts, and here he tells us how he's done that! https://t.co/0N4vAxDTRt via @YouTube
— Kent Sterling (@KentSterling) September 28, 2023
In fact, you could make an argument that he’s been Indy’s most impressive offensive lineman through the first quarter of the season.
The Central Michigan product is an athletic tackle who possesses the type of fantastic movement skills that would thrive in a zone-heavy offense such as the Titans’.
RD 3 PK 77 – Colts: Bernhard Raimann OT, Central Michigan
Raimann earned highest NGS athleticism score (96) among OT in the 2022 NFL Draft class, and the 5th-highest among all OT since 2003. pic.twitter.com/IiNEfWcc6d
— Next Gen Stats (@NextGenStats) April 30, 2022
He isn’t a finished product by any means, but he’s taken a massive leap in Year 2 and will likely only get better with each passing week, month and year.
Raimann is also pitching a shutout in pass pro at the moment, allowing zero sacks while also not contributing a single penalty through the three games that he’s played in, per Pro Football Focus.
All three of Bernhard Raimann's true pass set snaps against Josh Allen back in week one: pic.twitter.com/QYCJeHzeBR
— Zach Hicks (@ZachHicks2) September 26, 2023
PFF also has the Colts’ tackle ranked as one of the best in the league at his position at the moment, receiving an overall grade of 78.3.
Bernhard Raimann PFF Grades –
Run Blocking – 64.5 (31/67)
Pass Blocking – 80.5 (8/66)
Overall – 78.3 (10/67) #Colts #Fortheshoe pic.twitter.com/Wg3E2T5kaE
— Ʊ Bring The Juice Ʊ (@BTJPod) September 27, 2023
Stealing Raimann would solidify the left side of the Titans’ offensive line for the foreseeable future with Peter Skoronski next to him, giving Tennessee two young and high-ceiling players with elite potential.
Raimann is also on a cheap deal for now ($1.3 million annually), so he would give the Titans much more flexibility when it comes to filling out their roster, as opposed to taking on lucrative contracts such as Nelson’s and Andre Dillard’s.
If you prefer any of the other four players mentioned, you won’t get much of an argument out of me.
But I personally believe Raimann is well on his way to becoming one of the better left tackles in the league, so I have to go this route with the goal of fully unlocking the Titans’ offense, both in the immediate and long term.
