DONE DEAL : Tennessee Titans has confirm the trade of another star on Free Agent

Tennessee’s second-most important free agent, after Derrick Henry, is Denico Autry.
Welcome to the Music City Miracles’ Tennessee Titans 2024 NFL Free Agency Primer! The formal tampering period begins on March 11th, although the Titans can re-sign their own free agents before then. General manager Ran Carthon now has complete roster control and will work with incoming head coach Brian Callahan to develop a vision for the 2024 Titans.

The Titans are presently expected to have 24 free agents (19 unrestricted), including several key starters and supporting players. Over the following two weeks, we’ll take an in-depth look at each free agent and present arguments for why the Titans should, or shouldn’t, renew Sign the player. We’ll also provide our final decision and a prediction to complement our research.
Today, we’re looking at Denico Autry.

Name: Denico Autry

Position: DE or OLB

Current age: 33.

Why should the Titans re-sign Autry?
Denico Autry signed a three-year, $21 million contract with the Titans prior to the 2021 season, and he recorded 28.5 sacks. Autry has exceeded the worth of his contract and, along with Delanie Walker, belongs on the Titans’ Mount Rushmore of free agent acquisitions. Autry recorded a career-high 11.5 sacks this past season, at the age of 33. It’s not every day that an NFL player had a career-best season at 33, but Autry is truly a remarkable being.

It marked the first time Autry has produced a double-digit sack season, but he’s been around that territory for the Titans every year since 2021. Father Time will eventually defeat Autry, but he’s continued to fend off the inevitable. Autry is arguably Tennessee’s second-best defensive player behind Jeffery Simmons. If the Titans let Autry walk, it will open a massive hole opposite Harold Landry. That’s a problem the Titans may not prefer to deal with given the sizable needs elsewhere, particularly on offense, and at cornerback and inside linebacker.

Why the Titans should let Autry walk
Autry will turn 34 before 2024 training camp. Although Autry’s production has shown no signs of slowing down, his fall-off will eventually arrive. That might make general manager Ran Carthon, who didn’t sign Autry to his original contract, wary of committing guaranteed money and term to Autry.
Tennessee’s window to compete for a championship may not align with Autry’s. If Autry is interested in winning a Super Bowl in 2024, he’ll likely locate suitors via the open market that offer him a better opportunity. Reuniting with Terrell Williams and joining the Detroit Lions as the pass rusher opposite Aidan Hutchinson feels like a great alternative fit.

Projected Contract
Spotrac surprisingly doesn’t have a projected market value deal for Autry. It’ll be an interesting negotiation for Autry given his recent production paired with advancing age. I imagine Autry bargains for a two-or-three-year contract that earns somewhere between $8 and $10 million annually.

Final verdict
The Titans should seriously consider retaining Autry. Arden Key is a better match as a rotational pass rusher, therefore Autry’s departure would require the Titans to find a replacement who can handle big snap workloads. Aside from Landry and Key, the Titans have no established players at the position. A short-term contract paying Autry market value would allow the Titans to address other needs.

Prediction
This is challenging. I feel Autry is still playing at an elite level and might help the Titans compete for the AFC South title in 2024. With mainstays like Derrick Henry and Ryan Tannehill expected to walk in free agency, the Titans make a desperate effort to re-sign Autry.

What are your thoughts? Should the Titans re-sign Autry? Leave your opinion in the comments.