It was the year everything changed in Nashville. Looking back at the Tennessee Titans roster 2023, you aren't just looking at a list of names; you're looking at the final, messy breakup of the Mike Vrabel era. It was a season of "almosts," "what ifs," and the introduction of a mayo-loving quarterback who might just be the future.
The Titans finished 6–11. That hurts. But if you dig into the depth chart, you see exactly why it happened. This was a team caught between trying to win one last time with the old guard and realizing the foundation was crumbling. Honestly, it was kind of a wild ride to watch.
The Quarterback Carousel: Tannehill, Willis, and the Mayo Man
Basically, the QB room was a soap opera. Ryan Tannehill started the year as the guy, but Father Time and a porous offensive line had other plans. Tannehill struggled, throwing just 4 touchdowns against 7 interceptions in his 10 appearances.
Then came the Atlanta game.
Will Levis, the second-round pick from Kentucky, stepped in and threw four touchdowns in his debut. Four. He became only the third player in NFL history to do that. While his final stats—1,808 yards, 8 touchdowns, and 4 picks in 9 starts—don't look like MVP numbers, he brought a "grit" that Malik Willis hadn't quite shown yet. Willis mostly stayed in the wings, appearing briefly but never quite seizing the momentum.
📖 Related: Heisman Trophy Nominees 2024: The Year the System Almost Broke
Derrick Henry’s Last Ride in Two-Tone Blue
You can't talk about the Tennessee Titans roster 2023 without getting a bit emotional about Number 22. Derrick Henry was, as always, the heartbeat. He carried the ball 280 times for 1,167 yards and 12 touchdowns. Even when defenses knew he was coming, they couldn't always stop him.
But there was a new kid in town. Tyjae Spears, the rookie out of Tulane, was a revelation. He didn't have the "King's" size, but he had a twitchiness that Nashville hadn't seen in years. Spears finished with 453 rushing yards and was a massive threat in the passing game, catching 52 balls. It was the first sign that the Titans were preparing for life after Henry.
DeAndre Hopkins and the "Is He Washed?" Debate
When the Titans signed DeAndre Hopkins in July, everyone asked the same thing: Does he have anything left?
The answer was a resounding yes.
👉 See also: When Was the MLS Founded? The Chaotic Truth About American Soccer's Rebirth
Hopkins was arguably the most consistent part of the offense. He racked up 1,057 yards and 7 touchdowns on 75 catches. Without him, that wide receiver room—featuring Treylon Burks, Nick Westbrook-Ikhine, and Chris Moore—would have struggled to move the chains at all. Burks, unfortunately, dealt with injuries again, leaving fans wondering if he’ll ever hit that "A.J. Brown replacement" ceiling.
The Trenches: A Tale of Two Sides
The offensive line was... well, it was a problem. Andre Dillard was brought in to steady the left side, but it didn't really work out. However, the bright spot was Peter Skoronski. The first-round pick out of Northwestern was shifted to guard and looked every bit the part of a ten-year starter, despite a health scare early in the season.
On the defensive side, Jeffery Simmons remained a monster. "Big Jeff" is the kind of player you build a whole scheme around. Alongside him, Denico Autry had a career year with 11.5 sacks.
Key Defensive Contributors
- Azeez Al-Shaair: The linebacker was a tackling machine, leading the team with 163 combined tackles.
- Harold Landry III: Coming back from an ACL tear, he found his rhythm late, finishing with 10.5 sacks.
- Sean Murphy-Bunting: A solid addition to a secondary that was often under fire.
- Roger McCreary: Continued to prove he’s one of the best young "sticky" corners in the league.
The mid-season trade of Kevin Byard to the Eagles was a gut punch to the locker room. Byard was a captain and a local hero. Moving him was the clearest signal from GM Ran Carthon that the "retool" was actually a "rebuild."
✨ Don't miss: Navy Notre Dame Football: Why This Rivalry Still Hits Different
Why the 2023 Roster Still Matters
People often overlook 6–11 seasons, but the Tennessee Titans roster 2023 is the bridge to the new era. It’s where we saw the transition from Mike Vrabel’s smash-mouth identity to whatever comes next under Brian Callahan. It was the year we learned that Will Levis has the "dog" in him, and it was the year we said goodbye to the greatest running back in franchise history.
If you're looking for actionable takeaways from this roster's performance, look at the draft hits. Skoronski and Spears are foundational pieces. Levis is the ultimate gamble. The 2023 season didn't result in a playoff berth, but it cleared the deck.
To truly understand where the Titans are going, you have to look at the contracts that came off the books after this season. The team moved on from high-priced veterans and prioritized cap flexibility for 2024 and 2025. They essentially traded one year of mediocrity for a chance to reset the entire organizational philosophy.
For fans or collectors, keep an eye on 2023 rookie cards for Levis and Spears. In the world of NFL roster construction, this was a "reset year" masked as a "compete year," and the fallout—including the firing of Mike Vrabel—will be felt for the next decade in Tennessee.
Keep an eye on how the front office uses the remaining pieces from this 2023 group. The retention of players like Jeffery Simmons and the development of Peter Skoronski will determine if the post-Henry era is a short rebuild or a long, painful slog.