Jim Wyatt

jwyatt@tennessean.com

It's painful to watch the Titans these days. Just as difficult is identifying the biggest problem.

Free agents aren't performing up to expectations. Key draft picks haven't panned out. Would you believe only two of the 20 players selected from the 2009-2010 draft classes are on the team? That's a fact.

Also true: On Sundays, not enough players are making positive plays.

It's all added up to a 2-6 record at the halfway point of the season. And there's little reason to hope things will improve in the second half of the season.

In today's NFL, the backbone of a team is supposed to come from its draft classes. Well, that hasn't been the case for the Titans of late. While the 2014 draft class is shaping up as a promising one — four draft picks started Sunday's game against the Texans — draft classes of the recent past haven't contributed enough.

Ruston Webster has been the man calling the shots during the last three drafts. He took over as general manager in 2012. Most would agree he's done above average in his selections. Nineteen of his 21 selections remain in the organization, and most of them are starters or regular contributors. The jury is still out on several of those selections, however, as they try to meet expectations. But some young talent is in-house.

It's safe to say the Titans are paying the price for some bad draft classes from 2009-2011, however. The fingerprints of former general manager Mike Reinfeldt are all over those selections. Reinfeldt was the GM from 2007-2011. Only eight of the 46 players drafted during that five-year stretch remain with the organization, although some are still playing elsewhere.

Here's a closer look at the six draft classes since the team last made the playoffs in 2008:

2014

GM: Webster.

Total picks: 6.

Still on team: 6.

Selections: T Taylor Lewan (1), RB Bishop Sankey (2), DL DaQuan Jones (4), DB Marqueston Huff (4), LB Avery Williamson (5), QB Zach Mettenberger (6).

Hits: Lewan, Williamson.

Misses: TBD.

Jury still out on: Sankey, Jones, Huff, Mettenberger.

Grade: B.

Comments: In time, this draft could turn out to be a dandy. All six players are already playing a key role and have shown early promise. No one is questioning the Lewan pick now — the Titans needed him following Michael Roos' season-ending injury. And he's playing well. He'll be a force at left tackle for years. Williamson has also made an immediate impact. Mettenberger has a chance to be a home run if he develops, although Sankey has been slow-going.

2013

GM: Webster.

Total picks: 8.

Still on team: 6.

Selections: G Chance Warmack (1), WR Justin Hunter (2), CB Blidi Wreh-Wilson (3), LB Zaviar Gooden (3), C Brian Schwenke (4), DE Lavar Edwards (5), CB Khalid Wooten* (6), S Daimion Stafford (7).

Hits: Schwenke, Stafford.

Misses: Edwards.

Jury still out on: Warmack, Hunter, Gooden, Wreh-Wilson, Wooten.

Grade: C.

Comments: It's early, but the first- and second-round picks have been a disappointment. Warmack is playing regularly, but he hasn't lived up to expectations. Hunter has had his moments, but not enough of them. Wreh-Wilson has talent, but he's been inconsistent. Nonetheless, he's a starter in Year 2. Schwenke was a good find, even if he's still a work in progress. Stafford was a solid pick. Gooden is trending down, while Wooten could still develop. While this draft has provided four starters, some need to step it up.

2012

GM: Webster.

Total picks: 7.

Still on team: 5

Selections: WR Kendall Wright (1), LB Zach Brown** (2), DT Mike Martin (3), CB Coty Sensabaugh (4), TE Taylor Thompson (5), S Markelle Martin (6), DE Scott Solomon (7).

Hits: Wright, Sensabaugh, Mike Martin.

Misses: Markelle Martin, Solomon.

Jury still out on: Brown, Thompson.

Grade: B-.

Comments: Wright is a tremendous talent, and he's just going to keep getting better. But he hasn't been dominant all the time. Sensabaugh was a solid pick who has already paid dividends. The Titans got a solid first year out of Brown, but his play slipped in Year 2 and he had an unfortunate season-ending injury in Week 1 this season. Mike Martin is an underrated, hard-working player. Thompson was making strides before his injury. Markelle Martin and Solomon never panned out.

2011

GM: Reinfeldt.

Total picks: 9.

Still on team: 4.

Selections: QB Jake Locker (1), LB Akeem Ayers (2), DT Jurrell Casey (3), LB Colin McCarthy (4), RB Jamie Harper (4), DL Karl Klug (5), T Byron Stingily (6), DT Zach Clayton (7), CB Tommie Campbell (7).

Hits: Casey, Klug, Stingily.

Misses: McCarthy, Harper, Clayton.

OK, but: Locker, Campbell.

Grade: D.

Comments: The Titans landed a dominant defensive lineman in Casey. He's a home-run pick. Klug has been a solid pro. Stingily hasn't been a starter, but he's provided depth. Injuries have kept Locker from establishing himself, and now he's benched. Ayers had his moments with Titans, but was traded after falling out of favor. Campbell was a solid special teams contributor for several years but never found his way into the defense. McCarthy never could stay healthy and Harper and Clayton couldn't stick. This draft class should be making much more of an impact this year.

2010

GM: Reinfeldt.

Total picks: 9.

Still on team: 1.

Selections: DE/LB Derrick Morgan (1), WR Damian Williams (3), LB Rennie Curran (3), CB Alterraun Verner (4), S Robert Johnson (5), QB Rusty Smith (6), S Myron Rolle (6), WR Marc Mariani (7), DT David Howard (7).

Hits: Morgan, Verner, Mariani.

Misses: Curran, Johnson, Rolle, Howard.

OK, but: Williams, Smith.

Grade: D.

Comments: Morgan has had a solid, but not sensational, career. But he's the only member of this draft class still around. Verner turned into a Pro Bowler, and he's now in Tampa. Mariani was a nice find — he made it to a Pro Bowl before injuries derailed his career. Curran turned out to be a terrible pick, and guys like Johnson, Rolle and Howard never panned out either. Williams gave the Titans four seasons, like Smith. Way too many misses in this class.

2009

GM: Reinfeldt.

Total picks: 11.

Still on team: 1.

Selections: WR Kenny Britt (1), DT Sen'Derrick Marks (2), TE Jared Cook (3), CB Ryan Mouton (3), LB Gerald McRath (4), T Troy Kropog (4), RB Javon Ringer (5), CB Jason McCourty (6), WR Dominque Edison (6), T Ryan Durand (7), S Nick Schommer (7).

Hits: Marks, McCourty.

Misses: Britt, Mouton, McRath, Ringer, Edison, Durand, Schommer.

OK, but: Cook, Kropog.

Grade: D-.

Comments: Only one player is still around, and while he's a good one (McCourty), the lack of production from this group is one of the reasons the Titans are struggling. Britt never could stay healthy and out of trouble. Marks, now with the Jaguars, continues to enjoy a nice career. The Titans made a mistake by letting him go. While Cook did enough in Tennessee to earn a big contract with the Rams, the Titans gave up the second pick in 2010 to get him. Overall, this was a very bad draft.

Notes:

*Wooten is on practice squad.

**Brown is on Injured Reserve.

Reach Jim Wyatt at 259-8015 or on Twitter @jwyattsports

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