Winners

Kevin Byard

Coming into the draft, there was lots of buzz about the potential for a Kevin Byard trade. Adam Schefter reported earlier this offseason that Byard wanted to retire a Titan, but the two sides were at a crossroads: 

The Titans approached Kevin Byard about a pay cut, but the Pro Bowl safety does not believe his play warrants a decrease in salary. Byard has wanted to play for one organization and ultimately retire as a Titan, but the two sides are at a crossroads, per sources.

However, now the draft is over, the Titans not only kept Byard, but they did not draft anyone that could potentially replace him. They decided to spend all six of their 2023 picks on the offensive side of the ball, showing that, at least for now, they have faith in Byard and the rest of the defense. 

Tim Kelly

When Tim Kelly was promoted, he received mixed reviews from the fanbase. While Kelly is a worthy candidate in his own right, some fans are scared he will not change the offense enough from the monstrosity that was the Todd Downing era. 

However, at the very least, this draft bought Tim Kelly some time. While Tannehill and Henry will most likely finish out this season with Tennessee, a new era of Titans football will begin when Will Levis takes over in 2024. Levis is considered a project by many draft scouts, and even if Kelly struggles in year one or two with him, the blame will most likely shift to the QB. By resetting the offense, Kelly has time to implement his system and play the long game instead of the short. 

Losers 

Derrick Henry

The Titans selected a running back in the NFL draft for the second consecutive year. Henry is another player who has come up in trade rumors all off-season. With his contract expiring after this year, many thought this would be Henry's last season with the team, no matter what happened during this draft. However, selecting RB Tyjae Spears out of Tulane in the third round signed that the team is ready to move on from the Derrick Henry era in Nashville. 

Henry has been one of the best players in the league over the past few seasons and has cemented himself as a Titans legend. With the team moving towards a rebuild, it feels like Henry's days in Tennesee are numbered. 

Ryan Tannehill

Derrick Henry is not the only Titan who seems to be on the way out. While Tannehill may have taken a deep sigh of relief after the Titans did not draft a QB in the first round, that feeling did not last long. The Titans traded up to pick 33 and drafted QB Will Levis. The Titans gave up picks 41, 72, and a 2024 third-rounder in exchange for picks 33 and 81. When you combine this with the investment they made in third-round QB Malik Willis last offseason, it does not look promising that Tannehill will be in Nashville for much longer. 

With Levis most likely needing a year to sit, it looks like Tannehill will get one more season with the Titans before being let go next off-season. Even if Levis is not the QB many fans wanted, it is clear that it is time to move on from the Tannehill era, and the odds that he starts 2024 as the Titans QB seem as low as they have ever been.