At one point early this season, the Tennessee Titans were 2-4 and were left for dead. Then, Ryan Tannehill took over for Marcus Mariota under center, and everything changed.
From that point moving forward, the Titans went 9-3 and nabbed a Wild Card berth in the playoffs. They then proceeded to upset both the New England Patriots and the Baltimore Ravens before ultimately falling to the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC Championship Game.
Now, Tennessee will enter an offseason full of tough decisions.
The Titans have quite a bit of cap room, but they also have several of their own free agents hitting the open market.
So, here are three free agents Tennessee should be examining heading into the offseason:
3. Mike Hilton, Cornerback
Here's the thing: Logan Ryan is set to be a free agent, and the Titans may not be able to afford to bring him back given the money they will likely have to commit elsewhere.
That means they may have to explore cheaper options at cornerback.
Mike Hilton seems to fit the bill.
He played in all 16 games for the Pittsburgh Steelers this season, logging 63 tackles, 1.5 sacks, an interception and 11 passes defended.
Hilton has never been a full-time starter in any of his first three seasons, but after a strong 2019 campaign, someone may be willing to commit to him in that role moving forward.
If Tennessee loses Ryan, it could certainly turn to Hilton.
2. Ryan Tannehill, Quarterback
Tannehill is a tricky one.
Yes, he spearheaded the Titans' second-half surge, and yes, he led the NFL with a 117.5 passer rating during that time, but one also cannot ignore his track record.
Tannehill spent the first seven seasons of his career with the Miami Dolphins and never approached this type of production, only putting together a couple of decent years in 2014 and 2015.
At 31 years old, is he another Kurt Warner or Rich Gannon who found the secret sauce late in his career? Or was he a flash in the pan this year?
It remains to be seen, but given Tennessee's current quarterback situation and the fact that it won't have a high draft pick, it really has no choice but to roll with Tannehill for 2020.
1. Derrick Henry, Running Back
Tannehill may have turned things around for the Titans, but there is no questioning who Tennessee's best player was in 2019.
Derrick Henry was simply dominant this year, racking up a league-leading 1,540 rushing yards to go along with 16 touchdowns on the ground during the regular season and following that up by gashing the Patriots and Ravens for 182 and 195 yards, respectively, in the club's first two playoff games.
The problem is, Henry is a free agent this offseason, and he will surely be one of the most sought-after players on the market.
Fortunately, the Titans have the cap room to absorb Henry, but there do appear to be legitimate concerns about whether or not Tennessee will be able to re-sign him.
Make no mistake: if Tennessee wants to return to the AFC Championship Game next season, bringing back Henry must be its first priority.
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