The Tennessee Titans have quite the roster re-work to do after missing the playoffs for the first time since 2018. A new general manager, Ran Carthon, has entered the front office. As the offseason progresses, focus hangs on two areas of player acquisition.
Ran Carthon's primary focus in his previous seasons during his time with the San Francisco 49ers was free agency. That's the avenue we're going to explore today. The Titans are well over the salary cap right now, but with a few expected cuts, they can actually open up quite a bit of room.
So, let's look at five free agents who are a bit under-appreciated in NFL discourse. All of them fit needs the Titans have, but let's be honest: the Titans have a lot of needs.
5. Yannick Ngakoue, EDGE
One of the expected cuts the Titans should make this offseason is Bud Dupree, so edge help for Harold Landry is at a premium. Yannick Ngakoue has been one of the most underrated edge rushers of his generation and has plenty of experience in the AFC South. He's in his prime, so he won't be cheap, but the Titans should certainly be able to get him for cheaper than they signed Dupree two years ago.
Almost guaranteed edge production is hard to find, and Ngakoue has somehow gotten lost in the shuffle in both Jacksonville and Indianapolis. Here's hoping he gets the recognition he deserves at his next stop, potentially Tennessee.
4. Devin Singletary, RB
Devin Singletary had plenty of high expectations on him when he was handed the starting job in Buffalo in 2020. However, he never quite became the world beater the Bills thought he might become. He'd be a cheap, proven option to spell Derrick Henry and provide a pass-catching threat out of the backfield that the Titans have been searching for.
The Titans have played running back roulette behind Henry for a while, and having someone you know can produce would be nice.
3. Rock Ya-Sin, CB
Article Continues BelowLet's start by saying Rock Ya-Sin would not be the No. 1 corner in Tennessee. That's what Kristian Fulton is for. The Titans need someone to sit opposite Fulton and allow Roger McCreary to play inside, where he's best. Ya-Sin fills that gap at fairly cheap cost for his production level.
These kinds of value signings would help the Titans transition from the team that they've been the past five years to the team they want to become under Ran Carthon and Mike Vrabel.
2. Devin Bush, LB
The Titans are going to need another linebacker, assuming they cut Zach Cunningham as expected. Bush's value was sky-high in 2021, but cratered in 2022 due to a combination of injuries and sub-par play. If the Titans can get him back to 2021 level on the kind of contract he'd command now? Fantastic wouldn't begin to describe that value.
1. Jacoby Brissett, QB
This one is the wild card. It requires the Titans to swing for the fences on one of the quarterbacks in the draft this year while trading away Ryan Tannehill. That's a tall ask, but if it happens, Brissett has proven over the past few years he is the perfect quarterback for teams in transition between passers.
If the Titans were to trade Tannehill, they fit the bill. Brissett would be cheap and provide the stability the team desperately needs. That, and the cap flexibility considering there's no way he gets a long-term deal.