Thursday, March 29, 2001

Tennessee trades for Kevin Carter

The Titans found a replacement for DE Kenny Holmes, lost earlier this month via free agency. The Rams traded DE Kevin Carter to the Titans for their first-round (29^th overall) pick in this year’s draft. Carter was a Pro Bowl player in ’99, when he racked up 17 sacks and helped lead the Rams to a Super Bowl win. But last season, amid a contract dispute, Carter’s production dropped and he came under fire for his work ethic. He finished 2000 with 10.5 sacks.

PFW: What are your thoughts on the Titans’ acquisition of Carter?

Buchsbaum: He could be an ideal fit for them if he gets back to where he was before the 2000 season, when he let his contract negotiations destroy him as a player. What he also does is give the Titans a DLE who can both rush the passer and play the run. At his best, he’s better than any defensive lineman in the entire draft, and he also lets them move Jevon Kearse from the strong side to the weak side, which should make him an even better pass rusher. Plus he gets to work with one of the great DL coaches in the game in Jim Washburn. The only problem with this is that the 29^th pick in the draft for Carter is more than fair, but the Titans were very tight up against the cap before the deal, and it just seems that in order to draft, they’re going to have to release close to $1 million worth of players.

Carolina signs Todd Steussie

Buchsbaum: He’s a little-bit-above-average left tackle. The left tackles who have started in the league have always been at a premium. He’s a veteran, a solid player, a proven commodity, and they dramatically upgraded their offensive line during the offseason by bringing him, Jeff Mitchell (center) and Kevin Donnalley (guard) in. So they’ve really upgraded the line, but they’re doing it with veteran players, aside from Mitchell, who are more on the downside of their careers. That makes you wonder why are they releasing Steve Beuerlein and which direction are they going in? Are they trying to win now or are they trying to rebuild?

Lions resigned to fact that they’ll lose Compton

Buchsbaum: If the Lions lose Mike Compton, that means with the loss of Compton and Jeff Hartings, they will have lost their two best offensive linemen from last year. While Compton is not an All-Pro-type player, he’s an extremely versatile player who can do a good job at either guard spot or center, and can fill in at both tackle spots. He was an invaluable player, because of that versatility, to the Lions.

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2000 - 2001 Season