Five players who may have played their last snap for Titans
NASHVILLE — With the Tennessee Titans eliminated from playoff contention and a long list of injuries to deal with, there have been a lot of fresh faces suiting up in the two-tone blue recently. The Titans have made a fair amount of transactions over the last few weeks and will be emphasizing the development of younger […]
NASHVILLE — With the Tennessee Titans eliminated from playoff contention and a long list of injuries to deal with, there have been a lot of fresh faces suiting up in the two-tone blue recently.
The Titans have made a fair amount of transactions over the last few weeks and will be emphasizing the development of younger players during their final two contests.
But as we look to the offseason and the players currently sidelined, reality sets in about players who may have already played their final snap in Titans uniform.
QB Ryan Tannehill
With Will Levis nursing an ankle injury, Ryan Tannehill stepped back under center for the Titans in Sunday's loss to the Seattle Seahawks. When Levis was first diagnosed with his high ankle sprain, it seemed possible that Tannehill could finish out the rest of the regular season as the starter. But Titans head coach Mike Vrabel told the media earlier this week that he is hopeful Levis will return and start against the Houston Texans in Week 17.
Levis was on the practice field for Tennessee on Wednesday and did not have any noticeable limp or limitations. He looked healthy and ready to return.
Levis has already made it clear that if he is physically capable of playing, he wants to play. With his injury seemingly improved after a week off, Tannehill may be pushed back to the bench for the final time.
The 35-year-old quarterback is an unrestricted free agent this offseason and will likely be signing elsewhere with hopes of earning a starting job. Someone could see Tannehill as the perfect bridge QB to their future face of the franchise. That's a more attractive opportunity for Tannehill than anything the Titans could offer him.
If Levis is back healthy against the Texans this weekend, that likely means we have seen Ryan Tannehill take his final snaps in the two-tone blue. While it would be welcomed, it would also mark the end of a very memorable five seasons.
WR Nick Westbrook-Ikhine
Titans wide receiver Nick Westbrook-Ikhine was placed on Injured Reserve by the team last week, officially ending his 2023 season. The only question remaining is if we see NWI back in Music City next season.
Last offseason, Tennessee opted to not place a $2.6 million tender on Westbrook-Ikhine and allowed him to sign with any team. Just one day later, NWI signed back with the Titans on a one-year deal.
This time around, things will look a little bit different for the 2020 UDFA. Westbrook-Ikhine is an unrestricted free agent and will hit the open market this offseason.
Overall, the 26-year-old wide receiver represented himself well during the 2023 season. NWI posted 28 catches for 370 yards and three touchdowns. There is no doubting the fact that he can provide value to a number of NFL teams and he should garner interest as an unrestricted free agent.
What's still unclear is how motivated the Titans are to bring NWI back. DeAndre Hopkins and Treylon Burks will both be under contract in 2024. Then there's 2023 seventh-round pick Colton Dowell, who has been excellent on special teams this season and could develop into the NWI role in Tennessee's offense for a cheaper price. Chris Moore has also been solid, and given his speed and special teams output, may have a better chance of getting a new deal than NWI does.
I wouldn't be shocked either way. But it's at least a possibility that Nick Westbrook-Ikhine goes elsewhere and has played his final game for the Titans.
TE Trevon Wesco
Titans tight end Trevon Wesco was listed as questionable for Tennessee's Week 16 games against the Seahawks, but was ruled out on game day. With Wesco sidelined, rookie offensive tackle John Ojukwu saw significant playing time as a sixth offensive lineman that regularly reported as an eligible receiver.
Vrabel was impressed with what he saw from Ojukwu. The Titans' head coach told the media on Wednesday that he had earned an increase in reps to finish out the season. It's likely that we see more of the package with six offensive linemen in the final two weeks of the year and Wesco becomes more expendable.
Wesco missed another practice on Wednesday with a shin injury and his status for the Titans' game in Houston on Sunday is up in the air. The 28-year-old tight end is an unrestricted free agent this offseason that is, in my opinion, unlikely to be brought back.
If he doesn't get healthy over the next 10 days, we may have seen the last of him in Nashville.
QB Malik Willis
As much as some Titans fans may not want to hear or believe it, there is a very real possibility that Malik Willis has taken his final regular season snaps in a Titans uniform.
The 2022 third-round pick was named the backup to Ryan Tannehill at the end of training camp after showing some flashes of development during his preseason opportunities. But things haven't gone well for Willis in his regular season snaps.
Willis entered the game against the Ravens in London when Tannehill went down with his ankle injury. While his passing line looked pretty on paper (4-for-5, 74 yards), Willis took four sacks in 18 offensive snaps. Tennessee then opted to start Will Levis in his place with Tannehill missing extensive time.
Perhaps the most damning thing of all came just last week. With Levis ruled out for Tennessee's Week 16 game against the Seahawks, the Titans opted to play a 35-year-old veteran in Ryan Tannehill over Willis while already eliminated from playoff contention.
With nothing on the line and the team emphasizing the development of younger players, they still rolled with Tannehill. The only reason they have for why? Because "Tannehill has been the backup." That's very telling about what the organization thinks of Willis as a future backup quarterback option.
As things currently sit, I don't think Willis makes it to Week 1 of 2024 on the Titans' 53-man roster. Maybe that means he's moved in the offseason. Maybe that means he's cut after training camp. Either way, I don't think he plays for the Titans again.
CB Kristian Fulton
Kristian Fulton being done in Tennessee feels like a forgone conclusion at this point. The 2020 second-round pick was placed on Injured Reserve two weeks ago and is an unrestricted free agent this offseason.
The relationship between Fulton and the Titans has been a peculiar one for quite some time now. Mike Vrabel singled out Fulton at the end of the 2022 season for his recurring soft tissue injuries. Fulton then spent the offseason away from the team's voluntary workouts to participate in his own training program.
Titans coaches have seemingly been frustrated with Fulton's on-field output this season. Not only has the 25-year-old cornerback been benched a few times and allowed too many deep completions, he also hasn't avoided the injury bug. Fulton missed two games during the regular season with a hamstring injury before being placed on Injured Reserve. When the season wraps up, Fulton will have missed six of Tennessee's 17 games with hamstring issues.
Perhaps a change of scenery is what Fulton needs to finally realize his potential. I honestly think both sides would be happy parting ways at this point. This relationship feels too far gone for him to return in 2024.
How close are the Tennessee Titans to competing?
The Tennessee Titans are closer than people think.
