The Tennessee Titans are facing a somewhat unprecedented 2020 season with the team having legit Super Bowl aspirations following a 2019 campaign that ended one step before the big game.
There’s a lot on the line in Nashville this coming season, but not just for the team itself. There are specific players on the Titans’ roster who have a lot to lose if they can’t answer the bell in 2020.
Here’s a look at the players who fall into that category.
Dennis Kelly
Dennis Kelly has been waiting his entire career for an opportunity to be a regular starter, and it appeared that was a lock to happen after Jack Conklin moved on in free agency and the Titans inked Kelly to a three-year deal.
However, then general manager Jon Robinson drafted fellow tackle Isaiah Wilson in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft and said he would compete for the starting job with the veteran in training camp.
Now, Kelly’s starting spot is threatened going into 2020, although he’s certainly the favorite to beat out the inexperienced Wilson, who is also at a disadvantage due to a shortened preseason that could slow his development.
Even if Kelly wins the starting job, Wilson will be waiting in the wings, and if the veteran falters he could be replaced at any moment by the rookie, which could lead to Kelly’s exit out of Nashville in 2021.
Malcolm Butler
While Malcolm Butler has been much better since a rocky first half of his first season with the Titans, to say he’s totally earned the huge five-year, $61.25 million contract Tennessee gave him in 2018 would be a stretch.
Butler enters the 2020 campaign as a vital part of the Titans’ defense, but it’s very possible he becomes a cap casualty in 2021, as he’s set to make a hefty $14.2 million next season.
Tennessee drafted a potential future replacement in Kristian Fulton in the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft, and Butler’s chances of remaining with the Titans on his current deal is also hurt by the fact that the salary cap could decrease next year.
Butler will have to play at a level we’ve never seen him play at before in his career if he’s going to remain with the Titans beyond 2020 or get a similar contract should he hit the open market in 2021.
Derrick Henry
It appears Derrick Henry and the Titans aren’t going to get a deal done before the July 15 deadline, which means the running back will play out the 2020 campaign on the franchise tag, making $10.278 million.
It’s also possible the Titans tag Henry again in 2021 if no long-term deal is reached prior to next season, which would net him about $12.33 million.
Before we can even talk about an extension or another franchise tag in 2021, Henry has to stay healthy in 2020 and produce numbers similar to what he did in 2019.
If Henry didn’t get an extension after winning a rushing title, any fall off in production this coming season will further hinder his chances at a lucrative, long-term deal.
Only this time around, Henry may not have the nice chunk of change from a franchise tag to fall back on if the Titans decide not to use it on him after a down season.
Adam Humphries
The Titans inked Adam Humphries to a four-year, $36 million contract last offseason to be the team’s slot receiver, but things didn’t go well in his first campaign in Nashville.
Humphries was limited to 12 games and missed two playoff contests before returning for the AFC Championship Game. Even in the 12 games he played during the regular season, Humphries was used sparingly, totaling less than four targets per contest.
If Humphries deals with injuries again and/or has a minimal impact in his second season, the Titans could look to cut him in 2021, a move that would save the team nearly $5 million.
Such a result would make it nearly impossible for the wide receiver to garner another big contract in free agency like the one the Titans gave him.
Vic Beasley
Despite things not working out with the Atlanta Falcons, Vic Beasley was still able to net a solid one-year “prove-it” deal from the Titans, which could pay him up to $12 million if he hits his incentives ($9.5 million base salary).
Beasley’s career has been marred by inconsistency. After leading the NFL with 15.5 sacks in 2016, the former first-round pick has just 18 since; although he did have a bounce-back year in 2019 with eight sacks.
While the veteran figures to be the starter going into 2020 and has a chance to show he’s worthy of a big deal, he will have Kamalei Correa breathing down his neck for snaps after his strong finish to the 2019 campaign.
Should Beasley fail to “prove-it” in 2020 and lose snaps to Correa, his hopes of getting the long-term deal he desires will go by the wayside and he’ll be looking at another “prove-it” year in 2021 for less money.
Logan Woodside
Before the Titans drafted Cole McDonald in the seventh round of the 2020 NFL Draft, Logan Woodside was set to compete against himself for the backup quarterback spot behind Ryan Tannehill.
Now, Woodside has to compete with the rookie and quite possibly a veteran option should the Titans decide to bring one in, making the Toldeo product’s quest to become the backup signal-caller much more difficult.
If Woodside can’t seize the backup job, he could end up getting cut when the Titans trim their roster down to 53 players, and he may find it difficult to find another job after that.
