Now that the Tennessee Titans have locked up Ryan Tannehill with a four-year deal, the team’s attention will turn to its other big free agents.
Those impending free agents consist of Derrick Henry, Jack Conklin, Logan Ryan, and to some extent, Marcus Mariota and Dennis Kelly.
Let’s try and predict where each will go, shall we?
Note: Important free agency dates and times
March 16: Franchise/transition tag deadline at 11:59 a.m. ET.
March 16: Legal tampering period begins at noon ET.
March 18: League year and free agency start at 4 p.m. ET
Derrick Henry: Titans (via franchise tag)
According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, Henry and the Titans haven’t gotten very far in contract negotiations.
This will lead to the Titans placing the franchise tag on the running back so that he doesn’t hit the open market. Even with the tag, the door is still open for the Titans to sign him to a long-term deal in the meantime.
No matter how they get it done, Henry will remain in Nashville in 2020.
Jack Conklin: Browns
The Titans would love to tag and trade Conklin, who is going to be too expensive for their liking, but they’re going to have to use the franchise tag on Henry after being unable to get a deal done with him in time.
As a result, Conklin will hit free agency and the Browns will make him one of, if not the highest-paid offensive lineman in the sport.
Cleveland’s offensive line was a mess last season and an upgrade at both tackle spots should be priorities No. 1 and No. 2 in order to help Baker Mayfield.
The Browns simply can’t have a repeat of what happened in 2019 if the franchise is finally going to take a step forward.
Logan Ryan: Giants
Ryan was one of the team’s best defenders in 2019, but paying him north of $10 million isn’t going to fit into the Titans plans. And that’s especially true when the team might already have drafted his heir-apparent in 2019, Amani Hooker, who was an elite slot corner in college.
One of the biggest priorities for the Giants this offseason will be improving their defense, and in particular the secondary after letting Janoris Jenkins go last season.
Big Blue has a young secondary that needs leadership, and Ryan offers that in spades. He can be the stabilizing force that helps in the development of a young group in New York and will be an instant upgrade over what the Giants have now.
Ryan is also familiar with Giants head coach Joe Judge, who was an assistant with the Patriots while Ryan played in New England.
Marcus Mariota: Bears
The only player on this list who definitely won’t be returning to the Titans is Mariota, who will be looking for greener pastures after losing his starting job to Tannehill in 2019.
Interestingly enough, the same blueprint Tannehill followed in Tennessee should be the exact approach Mariota takes for 2020.
If that is indeed his approach, few places make more sense than the Bears, a team that has a quarterback in Mitchell Trubisky who is vulnerable to lose his starting job.
Dennis Kelly: Titans
With Conklin moving on in free agency, the Titans must have a contingency plan in place at right tackle — and that contingency plan is Kelly.
The 30-year-old proved he could step into a starting role and be effective, as was evidenced by his solid season in 2018 when he finished as Pro Football Focus’ No. 18 tackle in place of an injured Conklin.
Kelly won’t come cheap, but he’ll certainly cost less than Conklin would. This move will also give Tennessee a few years to figure out the long-term solution at the position through the draft.
