The Tennessee Titans miss Chris Carr

Later today, former Titan/current Baltimore Raven Chris Carr will serve as his new team’s returner and starting cornerback as they face off against Peyton Manning and the Colts. Meanwhile, back in Nashville, the hurt that stems from the offseason loss of “Mr. Indispensable” still lingers. As we’ve said on several occasions on Total Titans since Carr’s departure last March, losing the valuable returner/fill-in CB was undoubtedly one of the Titans’ worst offseason decisions in 2009. Carr’s absence was felt the most on the Titans’ return teams in 2009. In 2008, the Titans were the league’s #1 ranked team in kickoff return average (25.4) as Carr constantly set the squad up with solid starting field position. Fast-forwarding to 2009, the Titans went from first to nearly worst in the same statistical category, finishing tied for 29th as they averaged a paltry 20.5 yards per kick return. In recent weeks, Carr has proven his worth on the defensive side of the football as well. Due to injuries, Carr has been inserted into one of the team’s starting CB positions and he’s holding his own, notching an interception in each of the three games he’s started. No disrespect to rookies Jason McCourty and Ryan Mouton, but if the Titans had kept Carr around, in addition to having a more than capable return man, they would have been in a little better shape at the CB position during the early portion of the year when the unit was ravaged with injuries. The most mind-boggling thing about the loss of Carr was the fact that he departed Nashville for the city of Baltimore via signing a 2-year, $5 million contract. This was anything but the Albert Haynesworth situation, when the Redskins offered significantly more to Fat Albert to leave the Titans. I find it utterly absurd that the Titans would allow Carr to depart by not matching such an inexpensive contract for such a valuable player. Unfortunately, the Titans’ loss was the Ravens’ gain, as Carr has continued his ways by serving yet again as a key, unheralded member of a playoff football team. Without question, the Tennessee Titans surely do miss Chris Carr.