The Tennessee Titans concluded their miserable 2024 campaign with a 23-14 defeat to the Houston Texans in Sunday's Week 18 finale. The Titans finished the season 3-14 and will own the No. 1 overall selection in the 2025 NFL Draft, as a result of their loss, paired with a New England Patriots victory. It's safe to assume sweeping changes are coming to the roster this offseason.
Assuming he's retained, general manager Ran Carthon will be entering his third offseason in charge of the team, his second in his collaborative effort with head coach Brian Callahan and president of football operations Chad Brinker. It's worth noting the 2024 Titans were largely Carthon's team. Only a handful of holdovers remain from the Jon Robinson and Mike Vrabel era, including players like Jeffery Simmons, Nick Westbrook-Ikhine, Chig Okonkwo, and a few others.
The Titans desperately require an injection of youth-infused talent throughout their roster. They'll have to address multiple positions via free agency and the draft, including quarterback, EDGE, wide receiver, and offensive tackle. Tennessee's ability to acquire premium talents this offseason is crucial to the long-term health of the franchise.
Analyzing the active roster heading into Sunday's finale, 39 of Tennessee's 53 active players were acquired by Carthon, and several more notable names missed the game through injury, including expensive additions such as L'Jarius Sneed, Lloyd Cushenberry, and Kenneth Murray Jr. Another offseason of significant roster overturn is guaranteed after such disappointing on-field results.
With that in mind, we've identified five Titans who definitely won't return to the team in 2025.
5 Titans who won't return in 2025
Harold Landry III
Harold Landry III entered the season as the longest-tenured Titan. The No. 41 overall selection in the 2018 NFL Draft was handed an extremely lucrative five-year contract extension worth $87.5 million ($52.5 million guaranteed) by Robinson approximately 10 months before the GM was fired. Carthon has honored that contract to date, but we've officially reached a point where Landry's production isn't equaling the financial commitment made to him by the previous decision maker.
Landry earned a base salary of $17.250 million throughout 2024, the highest on the team. His bloated $23.8 million cap charge also led the Titans in that department. As the Titans prepare to re-analyze the financial promise made to him this summer, Landry's play tailed off in a major way down the stretch. Heading into Sunday's finale, the former Boston College standout had accumulated just nine quarterback pressures in his previous eight outings. He was tied for 60th among all qualifying EDGEs in pressures, according to Pro Football Focus.
The Titans need to identify difference-makers at the pass-rushing positions for Dennard Wilson's defense this offseason, and Landry is no longer that. The Titans did not apply consistent pressure on quarterbacks during the season. The Titans are slated to possess a solid situation against the salary cap ($65 million in space, per OverTheCap), but can create an additional $11 (pre-June) or $17 million (post-June designation) by releasing Landry. His seven-year tenure with the Titans may have concluded on Sunday.