The Tennessee Titans were the best 6-11 team in the NFL in 2023-24. No, it’s not really a compliment. I’m just not sure if they’re going to be able to even say that next year. With all due respect, I don’t think the Titans have hit rock-bottom yet. They fired a very good and well-respected Head Coach in Mike Vrabel, and brought in Brian Callahan (no relation to Tommy Callahan or the Callahan Auto Parts Co.), who was previously the Offensive Coordinator with the Cincinnati Bengals (who finished last in the AFC North last year). Callahan’s only real “claim to fame” was that he was an Offensive Assistant for the Denver Broncos when they beat the overrated Cam Newton-led Carolina Panthers in 2015. The Titans are one of six teams who finished in the bottom eight to replace their coach coming into the 2024-25 season, and it is going to be a complete overhaul and identity change that will likely get them a very high draft pick in 2025. Let’s take a downfield read to see who their free agents are, and who they should be re-signing to keep their fans in the stands.
Offense
Tennessee was tied for the ninth toughest schedule last season, facing teams with a combined .523 winning percentage. They actually outscored their opponents 151-138 as well. However, their sub-par offense was the reason that they lost most of their games, not their mediocre defense. More specifically, their passing offense. The Titans finished 29th in passing yards, 28th in total yards, 27th in points scored, and 17th in rushing yards. So it only makes sense to get rid of the best player on your offense, who just so happens to be the running back, which was the best part of your offense…right? The Titans are NOT looking to resign 30-year-old running back, Derrick Henry, who had the most carries in the NFL, finished SECOND in rushing yards, averaging 4.2 yards per carry, and was tied for seventh in the NFL with 12 rushing TDs. I had “King” Henry as one of only TWO “Must Re-Sign” players on the Tennessee offense. The other one was Center, Aaron Brewer, who is a top 10-15 Center in the league, and should come at a price of somewhere around $5 million per year. Seeing how Brewer is starting next season at 26 years old, I would try to keep him for four more years.
Everyone else on the Titans offense is expendable. Wide Receiver Nick Westbrook-Ikhine caught only 28 passes for 370 yards and three TDs last year, and has a stat line of 81/1241/10 over his last three seasons. WR, Chris Moore is equally disappointing with 22 receptions for 424 yards and zero TDs. You can find better #3 and #4 WRs in the draft. On the offensive line, Corey Levin will be 30 years old next season and he would be a backup only, and Chris Hubbard will be 33, and he’s past his prime. Left Guard Calvin Throckmorton is someone that I would keep even though he’s not a “must”. He’s a solid backup who started seven games last season, played in 65% of the snaps, and he should be relatively affordable: three-year for $4-5 million sounds like a good range. Finally, Quarterback, Ryan Tannehill. They have been trying to replace him for years! First it was Malik Willis and now it’s Will Levis. I don’t think there’s ANY amount of money that the Titans would pay NOR that Tannehill would take to keep him in Tennessee.
Defense
There are four players that I have marked as “Must Re-Sign” for the Titans. This is a defense that doesn’t need a complete make-over, but it does need some help. The Tennessee D finished 13th in rushing yards allowed, 16th in points allowed, 17th in sacks, 18th in both passing yards allowed and total yards allowed, BUT 31st in takeaways, and dead-last in Interceptions. Starting at the defensive line, Marlon Davidson, TK McLendon Jr., and Ross Blacklock can all be let go. Davidson barely plays, and McLendon and Blacklock don’t play at all. Defensive End Denico Autry DOES need to be re-signed though. I know that he’s going to start next season at 34 years old, but this year he could have been considered a Pro Bowl “snub” with 11.5 sacks (T12), and twelve tackles for loss (T29). I would expect a two year for $8-10 million deal.
Moving along to the linebacker crew, I would label Azeez Al-Shaair as a “Must Re-Sign”. He played in all 17 games, recorded 163 total tackles (5th), 84 solo tackles (T14), and nine tackles for a loss (T63). Considering he’s currently only 26 years old…yeah, I would make him a priority. I would also dub ILB, Jack Gibbens as a “Must Re-Sign”. Maybe it’s because he played for my home state of Minnesota, but I LIKE this kid! Gibbens stepped into the starting role admirably, played two thirds of the snaps, and accumulated 95 tackles and one sack. At WORST, he’s a reliable backup at 25 years old. Linebackers Trevis Gipson and Joe Jones can be let go. The last “Must Re-Sign” player for the Titans is Free Safety, Terrell Edmunds. Yes, Edmunds was a backup, but he ended up playing in 16 games between the Philadelphia Eagles (who traded him) and the Titans. Again, at worst he’s a solid backup, but he was a starter for the Pittsburgh Steelers for five years before the 2023 season! That means that I would not keep FS, K’Von Wallace, who the Titans traded the Arizona Cardinals for. I would NOT consider cornerbacks Sean Murphy-Bunting and Kristian Fulton as “must re-sign” players, and would only look at them for anything depth. Murphy-Bunting led the Titans in INTs with two (big whoop) and had eight passes defended (T77). Fulton has durability issues (only 11 games played in each of the last two years), and he has only four INTs in four seasons. Neither is better than a CB2.
Special Teams and More
Long Snapper, Morgan Cox is the only “real” free agent on Special Teams, and some might consider him to be a Pro Bowl “snub” as well. However, he’s going to be 38 years old to start next season, and he’s just a Long Snapper. I would move ahead and look for some youth. The Titans are going to have to look for some new Kick Returners as well. I presume that Tyjae Spears will be their feature back, and they shouldn’t bother re-signing Chris Moore or Julius Chestnut.
As much as I would like to be optimistic for Tennessee, I just can’t. They are going to have to rebuild their identity without having “King” Henry, who they drafted in 2016, and without Ryan Tannehill, who they traded for in 2019. They are going to have a new Head Coach with no NFL Head Coaching experience, and their schedule does NOT look easy: hosting the Bengals, Patriots, Jets, Packers, and Vikings, and going to Buffalo, Miami, Chicago, Detroit, Washington, and L.A. to face the Chargers. Then they still have to play their division rivals, Indianapolis Colts (who beat them twice last year), Houston Texans (who beat them twice last year), and Jacksonville Jaguars, who they luckily split with. If I was a Titans fan, I think that I’d be secretly wishing for a coma and to wake up in 2025…or later. Thanks for the “read” everyone!
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