Whether it was the veteran Ryan Tannehill, the second-year pro Malik Willis, or the strong-armed rookie Will Levis, the Tennessee Titans starting quarterback had to deal with pass rushers who ended up in the backfield more often than Derrick Henry.
All kidding aside, Tannehill (32), Levis (28), and Willis (4) were sacked a combined 64 times, tied with the New York Jets for the fourth-highest total in the league.
In each of these past two seasons, the Tennessee Titans have had the 32nd-ranked offensive line via Pro Football Focus. In both 2022 and ’23, the club finished dead last in the NFL in pass-blocking efficiency, and Tennessee was next-to-last in the NFL in this category in 2021.
Via Spotrac, only the Washington Commanders and New England Patriots currently have more salary cap room to play with than the Titans. Executive Vice-President and General Manager Ran Carthon has the 7th and 39th overall picks in the 2024 NFL Draft, but no third-round selections.
Here are four potential candidates who could hit the open market in mid-March, and another player that can be signed immediately. You will notice that more than one of these performers can line up at both tackle and guard, which could be important as Brian Callahan tries to find the right combination.
5. Billy Turner (New York Jets)
The 10-year pro has never been named to a Pro Bowl or earned All-Pro honors, but he’s seen plenty of action around the league with four different franchises.
Billy Turner appeared in 14 games with the Jets this past season and made a pair of starts. The versatile performer lined up both inside and outside in prior stints with the Miami Dolphins, Denver Broncos, and Green Bay Packers. Turner also has playoff experience, starting a combined five games for Green Bay from 2019-21.