After an incredibly underwhelming 2023 season, the Tennessee Titans have numerous holes to fill on their roster. The team fired Mike Vrabel a couple of weeks ago, and they recently announced former Cincinnati Bengals offensive coordinator Brian Callahan as their new coach. This coaching change was made because the Titans had just six wins this season, which is their worst win total since 2015. Although there are some quality players the Titans can obtain from the 2024 NFL Draft, they must retain some key players to compete in the AFC South next year. Most of the Titans free agents will likely not return due to their lackluster performance, but some players showcased their utility to the franchise’s future.
Top Three Tennessee Titans Free Agents to Re-sign for 2024
Derrick Henry, RB
The most important free agent for the Titans to retain is superstar running back Derrick Henry, who has been a cornerstone of the franchise since 2018. Henry singlehandedly carried the Titans offense to the AFC Championship game in 2019, as starting quarterback Ryan Tannehill threw for less than 100 yards in the wild card and divisional round that season. Henry has also run for over 1,000 yards in five of the past six seasons, and the only outlier was due to a season-ending injury that he suffered midway through 2021.
Despite the horrendous offensive line play from the Titans this season, Henry has showcased his talent by running for 12 touchdowns and nearly 1,200 yards. This past season should ease any qualms about Henry being too old or past his prime, as his statistics are similar to his breakout years. Backup running back Tyjae Spears had a successful rookie campaign that gave fans a taste of what could be a lethal duo in future seasons.
Azeez Al-Shaair, LB
Last year, the Titans hired former San Francisco 49ers Director of Player Personnel Ran Carthon as their new General Manager. During Carthon’s first offseason with the Titans, he opted to sign a backup linebacker from the 49ers, Azeez Al-Shaair. This signing was one of Carthon’s best decisions, as Al-Shaair led the Titans in tackles with 163. Al-Shaair had 68 more tackles than the second-leading tackler, illustrating his utility to the defense and linebacking corps. He also showed his all-around skillset with a pair of sacks and four pass defenses.
Fellow linebacker Harold Landry III was returning from a torn ACL this season and obtained 10.5 sacks, which was second-best on the team. With this linebacker tandem, the Titans can make linebackers a strong point of their team heading into 2024.
Denico Autry, DE
One of the biggest stars for the Titans defense is defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons, but he missed five games due to injury this year. So, the Titans defensive line was not the strong point that fans anticipated. Despite the injury to Simmons, defensive end Denico Autry was a bright spot on an average Titans defense. Like Henry, Autry might lose free agency value due to his age, but he led the Titans defense in sacks with a career-high 11.5 this year. The Titans pass rush could be elite next season with the combination of Simmons, Landry, and Autry.
The only factor that could hold the pass rush back is the poor secondary play from the Titans defensive backs, exacerbated by the midseason Kevin Byard trade. One major issue in the secondary stemmed from cornerback Kristian Fulton’s shaky coverage and lingering injuries. With multiple players from the Titans secondary hitting free agency this offseason, the choices made for that defensive area will be interesting.
Main Image: Denny Simmons / The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK
