Tennessee Titans Free Agency 2023
The Titans went 7-10 under head coach Mike Vrabel during the 2022 NFL season and missed the playoffs. The team needed to win in Week 18 to be AFC South champions but they lost to the Jaguars. QB Ryan Tannehill finished the year on injured reserve while rookie Malik Willis got some experience throughout the year. Now, here’s a look at the Tennessee Titans free agency situation for 2023.
Tennessee Titans 2023 NFL Free Agents Offseason Overview
The Titans got to work early in the 2023 offseason by releasing offensive tackle Taylor Lewan and wide receiver Robert Woods. The wideout led the team with 527 receiving yards in 2022. He was traded to the Titans from the Rams after the 2021 season.
The offensive line makes up five free agents for the Titans including starting right guard Nate Davis. Davis is a quality starter but he missed eight games over the past two seasons.
On defense, linebacker David Long and defensive lineman DeMarcus Walker find themselves with expiring contracts. Long had 86 tackles and two interceptions in 2022. Walker had a career-high seven sacks. The team has some tough decisions to make on who they want to bring back.
Tight end Austin Hooper, one of the team’s more reliable pass catchers, is also a free agent in 2023. He had 444 yards and two touchdowns last year.
Unrestricted Free Agents for the Titans
To be an unrestricted free agent, there are a couple of qualifications. An NFL player must have four or more years of accrued seasons and an expired contract. They are free to negotiate and sign with any team without any restrictions or draft-choice compensation. Here’s a list of unrestricted free agents from the Titans.
Quarterbacks
None
Running Backs
Dontrell Hilliard – RB
Trenton Cannon – RB
Wide Receivers and Tight Ends
Austin Hooper – TE
Geoff Swaim – TE
Robert Woods – WR
Centers, Guards, and Tackles
Dennis Daley – T
Le’Raven Clark – RT
Nate Davis – G
Corey Levin – C
Defensive Tackles, Defensive Ends, and Edge Rushers
Da’shawn Hand – DE
DeMarcus Walker – DE
Mario Edwards – DE
Linebackers
Dylan Cole – ILB
Joe Jones – OLB
David Long – LB
Zach Cunningham – ILB
Cornerbacks and Safeties
A.J. Moore – S
Andrew Adams – S
Joshua Kalu – CB
Lonnie Johnson – CB
Terrance Mitchell – CB
Special Teams
Morgan Cox – LS
Randy Bullock – K
Restricted Free Agents
A restricted free agent is a player who has played for three accrued seasons or fewer and has an expiring contract. The team can assign a tender to the player, which allows them to match any offer the player receives from other teams. The team receives draft compensation if the player signs elsewhere.
2023 NFL restricted free agents for the Titans
Aaron Brewer – C
Cody Hollister – WR
Naquan Jones – DT (exclusive RFA)
Teair Tart – DT
Nick Westbrook – WR
Salary Cap and Team Roster
The Tennessee Titans offseason began quickly as they have already begun work to clear cap space. As we mentioned earlier, they cut Robert Woods and Taylor Lewan. The 2023 salary cap is $224.8 million.
Ryan Tannehill remains the biggest cap hit on the team at $36.6 million. The team drafted Malik Willis last season and he saw playing time in eight games this season including three starts. The Titans must figure out the direction of the franchise after missing the playoffs for the first time since 2018.
Derrick Henry, who had over 1,500 yards rushing and is one of the best running backs in pro football, counts as $16.4 million towards the cap. GM Ran Carthon has his work cut out for him if he wants the team to stay competitive like it has the last few seasons.
Titans Free Agency 2023 FAQs
NFL free agency will commence on March 15, 2023. It begins at 4 p.m. eastern time. The date signifies the start of the new league year and the end of all player contracts. Many players are set to hit the market and gain free agency status.
An unrestricted free agent is a player whose contract has expired, and they have no ties to their former team. Starting on March 15, they are free to negotiate with any team in the league without restrictions.
A restricted free agent can be extended what is called a qualifying offer. If offered, they are still allowed to negotiate with other teams around the league. Their current team is allowed to match any offer.
There is a “legal tampering” period that begins on March 13. Teams can talk to certified agents but no signings can be made until free agency is official.
