While the Tennessee Titans are coming off a disappointing 2023 season, the team is set to have some free agents who will certainly garner interest, whether that be from the team, around the league, or both.
In a recent list put together by Pro Football Focus’ Brad Spielberger that ranks the top 100 free agents slated to hit the open market in 2024, five Titans made the cut.
The list of Titans includes running back Derrick Henry, defensive lineman Denico Autry, quarterback Ryan Tannehill, linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair and center Aaron Brewer.
Defensive lineman Teair Tart was also included on the list, but of course, he’s now a member of the Houston Texans after Tennessee waived him, so he’s no longer a Titans free agent.
Two Titans players we thought could make the list but didn’t were cornerbacks Kristian Fulton and Sean Murphy-Bunting.
Granted, Fulton has injury concerns and is coming off a terrible season, but he’s still only 25 and has shown in the past he can be an impact player. SMB was the bigger surprise after putting together a solid campaign.
Here’s a look at where Spielberger ranked every Titan on the list and what he had to say about each. We’ll also provide some thoughts for each player.
31. RB Derrick Henry
What Spielberger said:
There is only one “Tractorcito,” with his usage as a screen receiver in recent seasons adding another element to his game, causing comparisons to players like Steven Jackson and Chris Ivory to fall a bit short. Henry has not yet hit the proverbial wall, whether that is tied to a running back’s age or total carries. His 3.12 yards after contact per attempt in 2023 is still an 80th-percentile mark.
Going forward, Henry may not break off as many explosives as in years past, but he looks to have a few more seasons of bowling over defenders and scoring double-digit touchdowns in him.
Contract Projection: Two years, $20 million ($10 million per year), $13 million total guaranteed
Henry didn’t sound like someone who expects to be back in Nashville, and he’s made it quite clear his top priority is going to a team that has a chance to win a Super Bowl, something the Titans can’t provide. I’d be surprised if he’s back in 2024, especially after the firing of Mike Vrabel.
The Alabama product showed he still has plenty left in the tank after another 1,000-yard season that is made more impressive by the fact that he had a terrible offensive line in front of him.
Even at the age of 30, Henry will provide a massive boost for a contender looking to upgrade its backfield. However, I’m a bit skeptical that he’ll be able to land the kind of contract Spielberger projects here, although it certainly isn’t impossible.
64. DL Denico Autry
What Spielberger said:
Autry is still one of the strongest five technique defensive ends in the game, splitting double teams by lowering his shoulder and barreling through blocks with sheer power or sometimes utilizing a jump chop across the tackle’s face to the inside. The wily veteran also does a good job of using a blockers momentum in a backpedal to slingshot himself forward, always finding a way to end up around the quarterback even if only to deliver a shot just after the ball gets thrown. Autry will be 34 years old in 2023 but still has good football in his future.
Contract Projection: One year, $7.25 million fully guaranteed
Autry will turn 34 in July, but he showed no signs of slowing down in 2023 after tallying a career-best 11.5 sacks. That should make him quite the attractive commodity for contending teams.
Autry has said he’d be interested in returning to Nashville, but that was before Vrabel got canned. If that hasn’t changed, the Titans should be interested in bringing him back on a short-term deal.
68. QB Ryan Tannehill
What Spielberger said:
Tannehill will be 36 years old in 2024 coming off a $27 million salary on the final year of his extension signed in 2020, but he could still be a bridge starter to a young quarterback, much like he was this season with the Tennessee Titans and Will Levis. Tannehill is a good athlete who wins off play-action and with solid intermediate accuracy on rollouts to both the right and left. His pressure-to-sack rate has been too high for a few years now, but in his defense, he’s been operating behind a very porous offensive line with a pass-catching corps that does not create quick separation.
Contract Projection: Two years, $11 million ($5.5 million per year), $10 million total guaranteed
Tannehill’s fate with the Titans was sealed once he lost the starting job to Will Levis, and he made it quite clear he won’t be back in Nashville in 2024.
I wouldn’t totally rule out Tannehill getting a starting job elsewhere, but it’s far more likely he takes a backup role, and he would immediately become one of the best No. 2 quarterbacks in the NFL upon doing so.
I think Tannehill still has something left in the tank, he just needs an offensive line that doesn’t completely stink.
70. LB Azeez Al-Shaair
What Spielberger said:
Al-Shaair was the 49ers’ third linebacker while working behind 49ers star Fred Warner and the hard-hitting Dre Greenlaw from 2019-22 before signing a one-year, $5 million deal with the Titans last offseason. Al-Shaair is completely fearless coming forward and attacking gaps in the run game, bursting through blocks or fighting with a second effort to make a play. There are limitations in coverage, but if any team needs an early-down thumper in the run game, Al-Shaair is your guy.
Contract Projection: Three years, $20.25 million ($6.75 million per year), $11.5 million total guaranteed
Of the players on this list, Autry and Al-Shaair are the most likely to return to the Titans, but Al-Shaair even more so given his age fits on a Titans team that is a few years away from contending. The former 49er was solid in his first season as a full-time starter.
Al-Shaair has said he’s interested in returning, but, again, that was before the Titans made a change at head coach, so it’s possible that sentiment has changed.
78. C Aaron Brewer
What Spielberger said:
Brewer is a pretty remarkable success story, going from an undrafted 275-pound prospect to logging 500-plus snaps in three consecutive seasons while earning the starting job at left guard in 2022 and taking over at center in 2023. Brewer belongs in a zone rushing scheme where he can use his quick first step and springiness at the second level to reach linebackers quickly or wall off backside defenders by beating them to the spot.
Brewer needs to continue to add good weight, both to his lower half and through his shoulders, because he’s prone to bigger rushers bulling through him with regularity. However, in the right spot, he’s a great fit, and his plus athleticism suggests he could continue to excel even after bulking up to improve in other areas.
Contract Projection: Three years, $20 million ($6.67 million per year), $12 million total guaranteed
Brewer was a good run-blocker, but his pass protection still leaves a lot to be desired. As such, I’d prefer the Titans didn’t bring him back.
If they do, it should be as a backup. However, I highly doubt Brewer would accept such a role after starting in 2023.
