Welcome to NFL Free Agency, Next Step in Rebuilding of Tennessee Titans

The Tennessee Titans have more than $70 million in salary cap space to spend on the team's many roster needs: offensive line, wide receiver, defensive secondary, pass rushers.

NASHVILLE — The makeover of the Tennessee Titans continues this week with the potential signing of NFL free agents.

Titans management, led by second-year general manager Ran Carthon and new coach Brian Callahan, has more than $70 million in salary cap space to spend on the team's many roster needs: offensive line, wide receiver, defensive secondary, pass rushers.

Some of the star power is off the board — franchise-tagged by their teams or re-signed to lucrative extensions. See Chris Jones, Tee Higgins, Mike Evans to name a few.

But there is talent available — receivers such as Calvin Ridley and Darnell Mooney who might complement DeAndre Hopkins, defensive backs such as Chidobe Awuzie and C.J. Gardner-Johnson who might add a ballhawking threat to the Titans' pass defense, and tackles such as Mike Onwenu and Mekhi Becton who could give quarterback Will Levis more time to do his job. 

The Titans also have 23 free agents, none more significant than Pro Bowl running back Derrick Henry. The most recent reports suggest that he will leave Tennessee for a contending team, possibly the Baltimore Ravens.

NFL teams can begin negotiating today with free agents and can sign them on Wednesday, March 13, which marks the start of the league calendar year. 

The two-day negotiation period applies only to potential unrestricted free agents and not to players who already received or may receive a required tender for the 2024 league year. 

Some types of players are restricted from being contacted by other teams. Examples of these players include exclusive rights players, restricted free agents, franchise players, or transition players. For example, the Titans can't communicate with the Bengals' Tee Higgins and the Colts' Michael Pittman because they were franchise-tagged by their teams. 

Acquiring restricted or tagged players also would cost draft picks and Carthon has said that rebuilding a contender requires draft assets.

Any path back to the playoffs starts now. Let's take a look at some of the available free agents. Follow the hyperlinks to read more about each player.

NFL Free Agents

Wide Receivers 

Calvin Ridley
Current Team: Jacksonville Jaguars
Age: 29
Projected Contract: Three years, $18.5 million per year.

Marquise Brown
Current Team: Arizona Cardinals
Age: 26
Projected Contract: One year, $12 million

Darnell Mooney
Current Team: Chicago Bears
Age: 24
Projected Contract: One year, $9 million

Gabe Davis
Current Team: Buffalo Bills
Age: 24
Projected Contract: One year, $12 million

Odell Beckham Jr.
Current Team: Baltimore Ravens
Age: 31
Projected Contract: One year, $7 million

Tyler Boyd
Current Team: Cincinnati Bengals
Age: 29
Projected Contract: Two years, $8.5 million per year

Offensive Tackles

Tyron Smith
Current Team: Dallas Cowboys
Age: 33
Projected Contract: One year, $10 million

Trent Brown
Current Team: New England Patriots
Age: 30
Projected Contract: Two Years, $7.5 million per year

Mike Onwenu
Current Team: New England Patriots
Age: 26
Projected Contract: Four Years, $14.5 million per year

Mekhi Becton
Current Team: New York Jets
Age: 24
Projected Contract: One year, $5 million 

Defensive backs

Kendall Fuller
Current Team: Washington Commanders
Age: 29 
Projected Contract: Three years, $13.3 million per year

Chidobe Awuzie
Current Team: Cincinnati Bengals
Age: 28
Projected Contract: Two years, $10.5 million per year

Geno Stone
Current Team: Baltimore Ravens
Age: 24
Projected Contract: Two years, $6.5 million per year

C.J. Gardner-Johnson
Current Team: Detroit Lions
Age: 26
Projected Contract: One year, $5.33 million per year

Stephon Gilmore
Current Team: New England Patriots
Age: 33
Projected Contract: One year, $10 million 

Steven Nelson
Current Team: Houston Texans
Age: 31
Projected Contract: Two years, $7.5 million per year

Kenny Moore
Current Team: Indianapolis Colts
Age: 30
Projected Contract: Two years, $6.5 million per year

Prominent Titans Free Agents

Ryan Tannehill
Position: Quarterback
Age: 34
2023 Average Annual Value (AAV): $29,500,000

Denico Autry
Position: Defensive end
Age: 33
2023 AAV: $7,166,667

Azeez Al-Shaair
Position: Linebacker
Age: 26
2023 AAV: $5,500,000

Aaron Brewer
Position: Center
Age: 26
2023 AAV: $4,304,000

Sean Murphy-Bunting
Position: Cornerback
Age: 26
2023 AAV: $3,500,000

Terrell Edmunds
Position: Free Safety
Age: 26
2023 AAV: $2,000,000

Kristian Fulton
Position: Cornerback
Age: 25
2023 AAV: $1,332,548

Nick Westbrook-Ikhine
Position: Wide Receiver
Age: 26
2023 AAV: $1,260,000

Important Dates

March 11-13: During the period beginning at noon Eastern on Monday, March 11, and ending at 3:59:59 p.m. Eastern on Wednesday, March 13, clubs are permitted to contact and enter into contract negotiations with the certified agents of players who will become unrestricted free agents upon the expiration of their 2023 player contracts at 4 p.m. Eastern on March 13.

March 13: End/start of League Year. The 2024 League Year and free-agency period begin at 4 p.m. Eastern. Trades can begin and teams can sign free agents.

March 24-27: Annual League Meeting, Orlando, Fla.

April 1: Teams that hired a new head coach after the end of the 2023 regular season may begin offseason workout programs.

April 8: Titans begin offseason workout program.

April 15: Clubs with returning head coaches may begin offseason workout programs.

April 17: Last day for teams to bring 30 draft-eligible players to the facility for visits.

April 19: Deadline for restricted free agents to sign offer sheets.

April 24: Deadline for prior club to exercise Right of First Refusal to restricted free agents who signed offer sheets.

April 25-27: 2024 NFL Draft.

Related Titans stories

• WAITING ON TREYLON BURKS: Of the 28 receivers selected in the 2022 NFL Draft, 20 were playing in the league last year. According to Pro Football Focus (PFF), Treylon Burks ranked 20th out of 20. And so he enters 2024, his third season, as one of the Tennessee Titans' biggest question marks. CLICK HERE
• EVERYBODY LOVES ALT: After the 2024 NFL Combine, six NFL executives were asked for their top-10 prospects in the draft. Notre Dame offensive tackle Joe Alt was one of only four players to be included on all six lists, along with Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels, and Drake Maye. CLICK HERE