Ran Carthon was left in a bit of a sticky situation when he accepted the Tennessee Titans’ general manager job last January.
The previous regime, headed by former general manager Jon Robinson, left Carthon with minimal cap space and suboptimal dead-cap figures to work around.
Despite this, Carthon managed to have a pretty active first free agency. The vision was clear: acquire high-level athletes and former top picks who had yet to fulfill their potential.
With one season in the books, we can now start to delve into how those signings performed. Let’s break it down.
LB Azeez Al-Shaair
The Titans opted to sign Azeez Al-Shaair to a one-year, prove-it deal, after losing starting linebackers David Long and Zach Cunningham.
Al-Shaair had always been an intriguing player. However, he was buried in a stacked San Francisco 49ers linebackers room, headed by Fred Warner and Dre Greenlaw.
Al-Shaair was ultra productive in his first full season as a starter, registering career-highs across the board. The 26-year-old’s 166 tackles were the fifth-most in the league, and the most by a Titans/Oilers player since Ray Childress in 1986.
Carthon would be wise to bring back Al-Shaair in 2024.
Grade: B+
OT Andre Dillard
The Titans were in desperate need of quality left tackle play after a dismal display from Dennis Daley in the season prior.
As a result, Tennessee opted to take a flier on former first-round pick, Andre Dillard. Unfortunately, Dillard failed to deliver and was actually worse than Daley.
The former Eagle surrendered 12 sacks and 41 pressures, and was even benched on multiple occasions. Dillard finished his 2023 campaign with a deficient 51.0 PFF grade.
Carthon will have to address the left tackle position once again this offseason.
Grade: F
WR DeAndre Hopkins
After a season where their leading receiver compiled 527 yards, the Titans desperately needed to add outside playmakers heading into last offseason.
It took longer than many fans expected, but Tennessee eventually inked three-time All-Pro wideout DeAndre Hopkins prior to the beginning of training camp.
Hopkins got off to bit of a slow start, but DHop proved his doubters wrong and showed he can still perform at a high level down the stretch.
Hopkins was a pivotal presence for rookie quarterback Will Levis. Nuk proved to be a security blanket for the young gunslinger, hauling in 6 touchdowns in Levis’ 8 games.
The veteran receiver became the first Titans wideout to record 1,000 yards in a season since A.J. Brown in 2020. Levis and Hopkins will look to further their chemistry in 2024.
Grade: B+
CB Sean Murphy-Bunting
Like the aforementioned Al-Shaair, Sean Murphy-Bunting joined the Titans on a one-year deal after spending four seasons in a crowded position group.
Murphy-Bunting’s 2023 season can be classified in one word: inconsistent.
The former Super Bowl champion with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers struggled with injury and penalties. Bunting’s 10 fouls were the sixth-most in the NFL amongst cornerbacks. The 26-year-old’s coverage left a lot to be desired, as well, with Bunting’s 54.4 coverage grade ranking 12th-worst in the league.
SMB certainly wasn’t the biggest liability for the Titans’ secondary in 2023, but it appears best for both sides to part ways.
Grade: C+
OLB Arden Key
Arden Key was a popular breakout pick amongst Titans fans last offseason (myself included). This can be attributed to his strong closing to the 2022 season with the Jacksonville Jaguars after only Nick Bosa had a better pass-rush win-rate down the stretch.
However, he was unable to meet such expectations in Tennessee.
After a 1.5-sack performance in Week 1, many around Tennessee believed a star was being born. But Key proceeded to slow down after that, ultimately finishing with six sacks and a solid 73.0 pass rush grade (26th).
Overall, it was a fine season for a secondary rusher, he just failed to reach the expectations of many, which may have been too lofty.
Grade: B-
OT Chris Hubbard
Prior to a season-ending injury in Week 10, Chris Hubbard was a pleasant surprise for the Titans.
Hubbard was signed to be an emergency band-aid at right tackle following starter Nicholas Petit-Frere’s gambling suspension. Most expected the 32-year-old veteran to be the weak link of the line, but the opposite proved true.
Hubbard received a sizable amount of chip help, but his work can’t be totally discredited. In 9 games, the former Cleveland Browns standout recorded a 69.0 PFF grade, while surrendering just 18 total pressures.
Hubbard appeared to be on his way out of the league before reviving his career in Tennessee. He should receive an NFL opportunity in 2024.
Grade: B+
WR Chris Moore
Chris Moore was a surprising source of explosive plays for the Titans’ offense in 2023.
The 30-year-old journeyman recorded 424 yards on just 22 receptions, and his 19.3 yards per reception would have been the best mark in the NFL had he qualified.
Couple his big-play ability with his prowess on special teams and Moore was a great value signing for the Titans in 2023. If interested, Moore should be welcomed to return in a depth role next season.
Grade: B+
