Tennessee Titans 2024 NFL offseason primer: New era begins with Will Levis, Brian Callahan
Among Titans' biggest moves: Signing WR Calvin Ridley
Tennessee Titans' 2023 season: 6-11, missed playoffs
Overview: It's the end of an era in Tennessee. The Titans fired longtime head coach Mike Vrabel on the heels of a second straight season missing the playoffs and brought former Bengals offensive coordinator Brian Callahan in to replace him. Also out the door is franchise mainstay Derrick Henry, with Ryan Tannehill likely following him.
Tannehill was benched in 2023 as the Titans looked to the future and rookie quarterback Will Levis. Henry continued his excellence with his fourth Pro Bowl in five seasons while tallying 1,381 yards and 12 touchdowns from scrimmage. But his eighth season with the Titans was his last.
Key free agents
QB Ryan Tannehill
RB Derrick Henry
DE Denico Autry
LB Azeez Al-Shaair
C Aaron Brewer
CB Sean Murphy-Bunting
CB Kristian Fulton
Who's in/out: Tannehill, 35, still has the upside to start for a quarterback-needy team. Regardless, there's no reason for the Titans to keep him around as they develop Levis. A further signal that it's the end with Tannehill: the Titans reportedly agreed with Mason Rudolph on a one-year deal. Meanwhile Henry is off to Baltimore on a two-year deal. The most physical back of his era is remarkably still going strong at 30 years old. A rebuilding Titans team can spend its money elsewhere, where they reportedly did in a big way with wideout Calvin Ridley (four years, $92 million) and with RB Tony Pollard (three years, $24 million), center Lloyd Cushenberry (four years, $50 million), linebacker Kenneth Murray (two years, $18 million) and cornerback Chidobe Awuzie (three years, $36 million).
Key free-agent needs
Offensive tackle
Wide receiver
Cornerback
Defensive end
Why the holes? Tennessee addressed one of its biggest needs by reportedly completing a trade for Chiefs star cornerback L'Jarius Sneed in exchange for a future third-round pick and an additional pick swap. After that, with a young quarterback leading the offense, the Titans need to surround him with protection and weapons to maximize his development. DeAndre Hopkins is still a legitimate No. 1 receiver, but pickings are slim deeper on the depth chart. That got remedied with the big-splash signing of Ridley. Chris Moore was second among Titans receivers last season with 424 yards. He didn't score a touchdown. Left tackle Andre Dillard was among the worst in football last season and is a top candidate to be released. Tennessee has needs on defense too, but supporting Levis will be the top priority.
Do they have the money? Yes. Per Spotrac, the Titans have $67 million in available salary cap space, which is among the most in the league. A big chunk of that space comes from Tannehill's ($29.5 million) and Henry's ($12.5 million) 2023 salaries coming off the books. Tennessee has plenty of room to maneuver with a quarterback on a rookie contract.
Potential notable cuts
LT Andre Dillard
LB Luke Gifford
Dillard allowed 12 sacks last season and carries a $10.6 million cap hit in 2024. It's time to move on. Gifford tallied six tackles last season and counts for $2.1 million against the cap in 2024.
2023 NFLPA report card
Draft picks
1st round: No. 7
2nd round: No. 38
4th round: No. 105
5th round: No. 145 (from Vikings)
6th round: No. 181
7th round: No. 221 (from Panthers)
7th round: No. 227
7th round: No. 242 (from Eagles)
Good draft fit
Notre Dame OT Joe Alt
Why him? Alt's a tremendous athlete who's taken reps at tight end in high school and at Notre Dame. At 6-foot-8 and 322 pounds, he has outstanding size for a tackle. He's a skilled blocker and excellent pass protector who could be the first lineman off the board. The Titans would surely be happy to land him at No. 7.
What can move the fantasy football needle this offseason?
The Titans will look very different with Derrick Henry gone and Ryan Tannehill an unrestricted free agent. Will Levis officially takes over as Tennessee’s franchise quarterback with a new head coach and coordinators. Newly signed Tony Pollard will form something like 60/40 share with Tyjae Spears, limiting both of their fantasy values. Calvin Ridley also takes a fantasy hit joining Tennessee, where he’ll fight for targets with DeAndre Hopkins from a possibly shaky second-year QB. The additions are good news for Levis and Tennessee’s offense, but this could turn into a frustrating fantasy situation. — Dalton Del Don
