Patriots: Titans trying too hard to be New England with Stephen Gostkowski signing

The Titans signed former longtime Patriots kicker Stephen Gostkowski.

Given the prolonged success the New England Patriots have enjoyed over the last two decades, it really shouldn’t come as a surprise that teams around the NFL try to mimic their process.

However, when it comes to the Tennessee Titans, they are simply trying too hard to be the six-time champions. It’s duly noted that we don’t have a lot of wiggle room here as Tennessee toppled New England in the opening round of the playoffs last year, but here us out for a minute.

On Thursday, the Titans brought in yet another former longtime Patriot when they confirmed the signing of kicker Stephen Gostkowski.

Gostkowski seemed destined to spend the remainder of his prime years with New England, but he was released this offseason after a hip injury limited him to just four games in 2019. While it makes sense for the Titans to take a flyer on the 36-year-old — he played college ball at Memphis and actually has a home in Tennessee — there’s no telling how he’ll perform after such a major surgery.

We obviously wish nothing but the best for the four-time Pro Bowler. This has nothing to do with him and everything to do with the Titans, who actually love signing former Patriots. Let’s take a look at their recent track record, shall we?

During the 2018 offseason, Tennessee inked contracts with cornerback Malcolm Butler and running back Dion Lewis, who combined to play seven seasons in New England before they hit free agency. A few months earlier, they hired former stud Patriots linebacker Mike Vrabel to be their next head coach.

The Titans also landed CB Logan Ryan, who spent the first four years of his career in NE, at the start of the 2017 offseason. If you wanted to go back even further, Tennessee claimed offensive lineman Josh Kline off waivers immediately after the Patriots released him prior to the start of the 2016 campaign.

There are enough examples here to confirm this isn’t a coincidence. The Titans are quite literally obsessed with signing former Patriots, and we couldn’t be more flattered. Maybe one day down the road one of them will prove to be deserving of their bloated contracts, but we wouldn’t count on it.