Despite finishing the 2021 season with the best record in the AFC, the Tennessee Titans find themselves entering the offseason with more questions than answers after falling to eventual AFC champion Cincinnati Bengals in the divisional round.

Fans of one of the league's hottest teams are left to wonder how the same or better production could be cultivated for next season, with so many holes to fill on offense and over half of the total roster set to become free agents.

The Titans must make critical decisions this offseason to get them back in contention for a Lamar Hunt Trophy, which they haven't won since 1999.

3 moves the Titans must make during the 2022 NFL offseason

3. Retool the offensive line

The Titans had one of the best offenses in the AFC for most of the season, but one glaring issue always seemed to keep popping up at the most inopportune time: Pass protection. Quarterback Ryan Tannehill was sacked a whopping 47 times in 2021, ranking the squad seventh-worst in the NFL. Unfortunately for Titans fans, things only get worse.

The team is set to decide the fate of 31 players this offseason, and start the 2022 league year roughly $7 million over the cap. Unit anchor and left tackle Taylor Lewan represents nearly $13 million of that cap space, and should he decide to not restructure, it would instantly label the three-time Pro Bowler as a target on cut day. Center Ben Jones and right tackle David Quessenberry are set to become free agents, only adding to the growing expectation that the entire group could be new heading into the 2022 season.

The in-house options for the Titans are slim to none, leaving the NFL Draft and free agency as the only two vehicles to improve on their 2021 campaign. It's unlikely the Titans would spend in excess of Lewan's $13 million to bring in a player of the caliber of a Terron Armstead, leaving the NFL Draft as the most likely scenario for bringing in some fresh blood to a group desperately looking for a new direction.

2. Get a difference-making tight end

Anthony Firkser has been a complementary piece for the Titans over the last two seasons, but really never came to prominence after what seemed like a breakout game in Week 4 of the 2020 season. Firkser, along with MyCole Pruitt and Geoff Swaim, was mediocre at best, and not what anyone would consider being a difference-making talent at the position. If the Titans are to get over the hump in the AFC, they will need to find that difference-maker ahead of the 2022 season.

With a list of tight end candidates such as David Njoku hitting the free agency market, the Titans could improve by bringing in some talent via that route so they are not put in a position to spend a draft pick to fill the need. With injuries plaguing young star receiver AJ Brown and veteran Julio Jones, Tannehill could use a third option to help keep the offense moving on crucial third downs, a sore spot that hindered the team during the 2021 campaign.

1. Tannehill has to stay, but plan for the future

Tannehill found himself unceremoniously exiting the NFL Playoffs for the third time in as many years, throwing three interceptions against a fired-up  Bengals squad in the AFC divisional round. That performance and a lack of playoff success have created some heat among Titans fans that would like to see the team move on from the 33-year-old quarterback. The only problem is, moving Tannehill off the roster will be nearly impossible with his $29 million owed in 2022.

Unless the Titans can find a willing trade partner in the Green Bay Packers or Seattle Seahawks, the chances of seeing a different guy under center in Nashville next season are not good. While that may not be what Titans fans want to hear, that doesn't mean that the squad can't plan for the future.

The group of quarterbacks in the 2022 NFL Draft is mostly made up of young, raw talent. Finding a good fit to sit behind Tannehill and learn from him over the last two years of his deal could be advantageous for the Titans. If Kenny Pickett or Matt Corrall fall to 26th overall, the possibility of the Titans mortgaging their first round pick on a quarterback will certainly gain some steam.