The Sports Xchange

NASHVILLE — The Tennessee Titans enter training camp in 2015 hoping they have solved many of the woes that plagued them a year ago in head coach Ken Whisenhunt’s first season.

A 2-14 season will send a team looking for plenty of answers and making plenty of changes. The biggest change was the drafting of Marcus Mariota with the second overall pick with the idea that he will become the team’s new franchise quarterback.

There will be growing pains involving Mariota — or nearly any rookie quarterback, for that matter — but the Titans made sure to get the rookie’s contract done and will have him in camp when the team reports on July 30.

Mariota will have some decent weapons to work with, but also players with a lot of question marks. The Titans have reliable tight end Delanie Walker and shifty receiver Kendall Wright, and have since added veterans Harry Douglas and Hakeem Nicks to that mix, not to mention drafting Dorial Green-Beckham in the second round. Green-Beckham may take some time, but the Titans believe he can be the type of big-play receiver they have long been lacking.

Tennessee had hoped Justin Hunter would be that guy, but he is now a major question mark entering year three, and that was before his recent brush with the law.

The Titans still have to settle the running back position, where no one established himself in 2014, and the offensive line, where injuries and/or ineffective play ruled the day for most of last year.

In addition to Mariota, there are other reasons for optimism, not the least of which is the addition of legendary defensive mind Dick LeBeau. LeBeau is 77 and comes to the Titans to oversee a defense that will be in its second season in the 3-4 scheme. The Titans also added a few new faces on defense as well, picking up Da’Norris Searcy from the Buffalo Bills to play safety and signing pass rusher Brian Orakpo from the Washington Redskins to man one of the outside linebacker spots. Tennessee also picked up cornerback Perrish Cox from the San Francisco 49ers in an effort to upgrade a weakness at cornerback from a year ago.

CAMP CALENDAR

July 30: Entire team reports

July 31: First practice

Aug. 24: Camp ends

–Team strength: Defensive line.

The Titans don’t have many strengths to speak of, but the defensive line probably comes as close as any to being one. The Titans have a star in Jurrell Casey, who lost half his sack total in 2014 with the switch to a 3-4 and being almost constantly double-teamed. With improvements at outside linebacker and in the scheme, Casey’s numbers might go back up in 2015. Beyond Casey, the Titans have solid role players in nose tackle Sammie Hill and inside pass rusher Karl Klug. Tennessee also has high hopes for second-year pro DaQuan Jones, who supplants Ropati Pitoitua as a starter, and rookie Angelo Blackson, who drew positive reviews in offseason work.

–Breakout player: Left tackle Taylor Lewan.

Lewan is one of those players who seems to get it. Going beyond his quirky sense of humor, the left tackle looked solid once thrown into the mix last year following Michael Roos’ injury. With Roos retired, Lewan is poised for more of a leadership role on the line, despite his youth. If Lewan can lead the way, the Titans’ offensive line, which certainly needs improving, might be able to take a step forward in 2015.

–Work in progress: Offensive line.

This could apply to a number of units on either side of the ball but the one that is at the top of the worry list for the Titans is the offensive line.

Ever since Chris Johnson rushed for 2,000 yards during the 2009 season and Kevin Mawae retired, the Titans have been busy addressing the offensive line — with only mediocre results. Six years later, the Titans are still trying to find the right combination, even though they do have a couple of first-round building blocks in left tackle Taylor Lewan and right guard Chance Warmack.

Elsewhere, they still have an opening at right tackle, where they would like rookie third-round pick Jeremiah Poutasi to claim the job. Andy Levitre, a free-agent disappointment in two years at left guard, gets another shot there, but through much of minicamp, was working at center due to injuries to Brian Schwenke and rookie Andy Gallik.

That left Jamon Meredith and Byron Bell, both tackles by trade, getting a look at left guard. The Titans also brought back Fernando Velasco to add to the center/guard mix. All the jumbled pieces need to come together as quickly as possible in camp, because the Titans need an improved running game and to protect rookie quarterback Marcus Mariota as he learns the rigors of NFL life.