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.
Dillon Radunz
Dillon Radunz entered the offseason as one of few holdovers from the Mike Vrabel and Jon Robinson era. New head coach Brian Callahan and his father, offensive line coach, Bill Callahan, appeared to agree that Radunz was better utilized at guard than offensive tackle. Despite that, they signed Saahdiq Charles in free agency, who immediately became the favorite to start at right guard.
Charles then abruptly retired in August at age 25 during training camp and Radunz became the in-house favorite to replace him. The former North Dakota State standout performed at a league-average level throughout 2024. Missing a few games during the second half of the campaign, Radunz attempted to battle through injury and inconsistencies. His performances often wavered.
Radunz is now scheduled for free agency and it's difficult to envision the Titans possessing a ton of interest in re-signing him. General manager Ran Carthon did not draft him, and the Callahan's didn't view him as their first-choice starter until they were left with fewer alternatives. The right side of Tennessee's underperforming offensive line was consistently its Achilles Heel this season, though Radunz was often the lesser of two evils, compared to whichever right tackle started that week.
The Titans should set out to solidify the offensive line this offseason after pouring premium resources into the left-sided positions. The right side now requires Carthon's undivided attention, and he should aim higher than what Radunz is capable of providing at right guard. Trey Smith from the Kansas City Chiefs could be a high-priced target if he reaches free agency.
Treylon Burks
Treylon Burks is the big holdover mistake from the previous regime that both Carthon and Callahan treated with patience and fairness heading into this season. Knowing they couldn't rely on the former first-round pick to stay healthy and productive, they went out and acquired Calvin Ridley and Tyler Boyd at wide receiver. Burks was placed in a low-expectations position, failing to even play impressively in a rotational role.
Burks actually began the campaign in a top-three spot as the result of a DeAndre Hopkins injury. Despite playing a sizable role, the ex Arkansas bust caught just four passes for 34 yards. Burks then suffered a non-contact knee injury ahead of the Week 7 game with the Buffalo Bills. He was placed on IR and ended up missing the remaining portion of the season.
To make matters worse for Burks, Nick Westbrook-Ikhine stepped into his shoes and produced far better results. Despite starting the season in a deep reserve role behind Burks and Hopkins, Westbrook-Ikhine finished with a team-high nine touchdowns. The Titans tried desperately to get their former first-rounder to produce something similar, but to avail.
Throughout his 27-game career with Tennessee, Burks has totaled 53 receptions for 699 yards and a touchdown. The Titans have displayed maximum patience with his non-existent development. They did something similar with Caleb Farley, another first-round whiff they stayed patient with for three seasons before finally releasing him. Burks, slated to enter the fourth and final year of his rookie contract, should meet the same fate this offseason.
Tyler Boyd
Brian Callahan brought in Tyler Boyd on a one-year deal this offseason for a multitude of reasons. Firstly, Boyd spent the previous five seasons (2019-23) alongside Callahan in Cincinnati. The veteran receiver was crucial to helping first-year starting quarterback Will Levis, and new addition Mason Rudolph, pick up the offense during the offseason install.
Boyd was also added to play the slot receiver role in Callahan's preferred 11 personnel package. The Titans did not have a clear-cut in-house fit to play that role prior to his signing. And though he's been helpful at times, Boyd has largely looked like an aging 30-year-old receiver reaching the end of his line.
Boyd finished the season ranked fourth on the Titans in receiving yards and receptions. He probably would have placed fifth in both categories had general manager Ran Carthon not dealt DeAndre Hopkins to the Kansas City Chiefs at the trade deadline. Boyd was fairly inconsequential on one of the worst passing attacks in the league.
If Callahan returns in 2025, and the expectation is that he will, the Titans will need a new, more dynamic receiver in that familiar slot role. Rudolph is on an expiring contract and the Titans will face a complicated situation with Levis, now that they've deemed he's not starter material. Whoever the starting quarterback is, he'll have to learn the offense without having Boyd as a mentor at his disposal. The offense requires better on-field results from that position than what Boyd can give them.
Nicholas Petit-Frere
Arguably the biggest error judgment Carthon and Callahan made this season was believing that their Hall of Fame worthy offensive line coach Bill Callahan could maximize Nicholas Petit-Frere. Despite having a potential need at right tackle, Carthon and the Callahan's completely ignored the position during the offseason, believing in Petit-Frere's ability to take developmental steps forward. It was a belief that totally blew up in their faces.
Petit-Frere opened the campaign as the starter, but was benched on multiple occasions. The Titans played five different players at right tackle throughout 2024, and none of those decisions were made due to injury. They simply rotated below-average blockers time and time again, searching for even league-average results. They never found them.
Petit-Frere allowed a league-worst 10 sacks and 41 pressures despite receiving inconsistent playing time. Tennessee's right tackle position was undeniably the worst on any offensive line in the entire league. That failure falls at the feet of Carthon and Callahan for failing to properly address an offseason need.
Petit-Frere is technically under contract through 2025. A 2022 third-rounder, it was Jon Robinson's final draft class as general manager, a gift that keeps on giving (Treylon Burks included). The Titans can only save approximately $1.5 million against the cap by releasing him, but the decision has more to do with accountability and wasted resources than it does financial savings. The Titans need to acquire an instant starter at right tackle this offseason, and there's absolutely no need for them to continue wasting time with Petit-Frere's shortcomings.