3 contract decisions that will pay off for the Tennessee Titans in 2023

The Tennesse Titans weren't pleased with the work general manager Jon Robinson was doing and they cut ties with him in the middle of the 2022 season. Earlier this year, Ran Carthon was hired to take his place and restock a roster that lacked depth and playmakers at key positions.

So far, Carthon's stint as the Titans' general manager is off to a good start. Besides moving on from players whose contracts weren't on par with their production, he managed to bolster several position groups in free agency in the draft. With that in mind, here are three offseason moves Tennessee made that should pay off in 2023.

No. 3 Titans contract decision that will pay off: Release Taylor Lewan and others

Left tackle Taylor Lewan had been a staple of the Titans' offensive line since he was drafted 11th overall in 2014. However, injuries limited to only 30 games over the last three years, so Tennessee decided it was time to move on. After all, availability is the best ability on the football field and if you can't suit up Sunday, teams will simply go with lesser talent that can actually contribute. That's the harsh reality of the NFL.

Releasing Lewan freed up ample space but he wasn't the only veteran that was let go in the offseason. The Titans also cut ties with center Ben Jones, kicker Randy Bullock, wide receiver Robert Woods, and linebacker Zach Cunning back. In the end, the Titans freed up more than $40 million in cap space, which they used to address a few roster needs in the offseason.

Even though Engram Lewan and Jones will be missed, the Titans already have their respective replacements in Andre Dillard and Andrew Brewer. There's a chance there could be a dropoff in production but general manager Ran Carthon was right for moving on from Lewan and Jones one year too early instead of one too late.