The Tennessee Titans have signed a total of six players from outside the team so far this offseason, addressing a slew of needs in the process. But despite those moves, there are still plenty of key needs for this team to take care of.
Of course, free agency is still going on so there is time to add help with that route, but the options are dwindling by the hour. Tennessee does have the option of filling these needs in the draft, also, but this team needs some veterans in the mix at those spots.
One position you can technically mention among the needs is quarterback, since the team has yet to make an official decision there.
However, Ryan Tannehill is still under contract and in line to take the starting job for at least one more year, barring an early selection of a quarterback in the draft, or a blockbuster signing of Lamar Jackson.
Here’s a look at the biggest needs the Titans have yet to address in free agency, three of which come on the offensive side of the ball, where Tennessee needs the most help.
Also, we’ve included some of the best players left on the open market at each of those positions, and in the process I highlighted my personal favorites.
Need: Wide receiver
Yes, the Titans did re-sign Nick Westbrook-Ikhine, but no, that is not a move that moves the needle at all for Tennessee’s biggest remaining need. And, no, I don’t think the Titans envision him as a key piece to the group in 2023.
Tennessee should be adding at least two to their current room, and preferably one veteran and one rookie via the 2023 NFL draft. Taking it a step further, the Titans need to add both size and speed in their new wideouts.
While Tennessee will likely bring a veteran in via free agency, there are also trades available, with the Arizona Cardinals’ DeAndre Hopkins and the Denver Broncos’ Courtland Sutton and Jerry Jeudy leading that list.
The catch with Hopkins, of course, is that he’s an elite but aging receiver, and we know how those guys typically do in Nashville.
As far as what’s left in free agency, there isn’t much.
Best available WRs in free agency
DJ Chark
Odell Beckham Jr.
Marvin Jones
Olamide Zaccheaus
Nelson Agholor
Jarvis Landry
Marquise Goodwin
Chosen Anderson
Deandre Carter
Jalen Guyton
Note: Players in bold are my personal favorites.
Need: Left guard (or center?)
After the Titans placed a second-round tender on Aaron Brewer, our Shaun Calderon wrote that this was a sign the Titans view him as a starter in 2023, and more likely than not at center in place of Ben Jones.
Whether you agree with that or not, here’s the way Tennessee’s offensive line is shaping up based on who is on the roster currently, and with the projection that Brewer doesn’t get poached and starts at center.
LT: Andre Dillard
LG: ???
C: Aaron Brewer
RG: Daniel Brunskill
RT: Nicholas Petit-Frere
Brunskill can play on either side but says he’s more comfortable on the right, where he started for San Fran in 2021. Brewer can play either center or left guard, but I think the Titans view him as the former.
If we break down the starting group like this, that means the Titans have a hole at left guard to fill. Potential in-house options include Dillon Radunz, Jamarco Jones and Corey Levin, who is a free agent.
However, Radunz is coming off a torn ACL and may not even be ready for the start of the season (and he’s a major question mark), Jones is coming off his own season-ending injury, and Levin played well in place of Jones last season but has never been a full-time starter.
To be honest, I totally forgot Jones was still on this team and now that I think about it, he might be the guy to watch for that left guard spot.
After all, head coach Mike Vrabel heaped praise on Jones when the Titans signed him last offseason and even said the team wanted him to compete at left guard.
The Titans would be wise to address the position with a veteran one way or the other, and they can back that up with a selection of a guard on the second or third day of the draft.
But, as is the case with the wide receivers, options for an impact addition at guard have dwindled. Some of these players have only played at right guard, but as we stated earlier the Titans have options with Brunskill’s versatility.
Best available guards in free agency
Dalton Risner
Trai Turner
Gabe Jackson
Cory Levin
Greg Van Roten
Justin Pugh
Rodger Saffold
Matt Feiler
A.J. Cann
Note: Players in bold are my personal favorites.
Need: Tight end
The Titans currently have practice squad guys behind Chigoziem Okonkwo, so the need here speaks for itself.
This is another position where the Titans should be looking to add a veteran and a rookie. And, ideally, at least one of those guys can take on a blocking role at the position and perform better than Geoff Swaim did.
While I do think it’s more likely than not the Titans spend draft capital on a tight end, it will likely come in the form of a selection no earlier than late Day 2, early Day 3 with the team having bigger fish to fry.
While the best tight ends are now gone, the Titans were never dipping their toe in that pool to begin with. For what Tennessee needs, the options at tight end remain decent.
Best available tight ends in free agency
Irv Smith
Cameron Brate
MyCole Pruitt
Maxx Williams
Tyler Kroft
Drew Sample
Cethan Carter
Kyle Rudolph
Dan Arnold
Geoff Swaim
Note: Players in bold are my personal favorites.
Need: Kicker
Last but certainly not least (let us never forget the kicker hell the Titans were in for a few years), we arrive at the kicker position, where the Titans have only 2022 UDFA Caleb Shudak on the roster after cutting Randy Bullock earlier this offseason.
Shudak appeared in one game for Tennessee last season with mixed results after he missed one of his three field goal attempts but made his lone extra point.
The Iowa product is supposed to have a bigger leg than Bullock, which is a plus, but we didn’t get a taste of that in game action because he didn’t attempt a kick over 38 yards. Overall, the jury is still out on Shudak.
It’s a foregone conclusion that the Titans will at least add competition for the second-year pro, and that could come via a late-round draft pick (sign me up for Jake Moody) or undrafted free-agent signing.
However, free agency is another avenue where the Titans could shore up the position entirely with an established veteran, and preferably one with a bigger leg than Bullock.
Thankfully, there are still some solid options available.
Best available kickers in free agency
Robbie Gould
Chase McLaughlin
Riley Patterson (ERFA)
Mason Crosby
Randy Bullock
Note: Players in bold are my personal favorites.
