Titans must figure out what to do with Ryan Tannehill this offseason

Quarterback Ryan Tannehill, who led the Titans to their first AFC Championship game since 2002, is now a free agent and will see just how much Tennessee valued him

The Tennessee Titans rode running back Derrick Henry’s powerful legs to within a game of the franchise’s second Super Bowl appearance. How big of a role they think quarterback Ryan Tannehill played, though, will be tested this offseason.

Was Tannehill, 31, acquired from the Miami Dolphins in the offseason for two late-round draft picks, an integral part of their offense? Or was he simply along for the ride as Henry took over the game?

That is the question the Titans have to figure out this offseason. The eight-year veteran is an unrestricted free agent after this season, his first with the Titans after coming into the league with the Dolphins in 2012.

The question seemed like an easy one at the start of the season. Tannehill was acquired to be a backup to the Titans’ franchise quarterback, Marcus Mariota. But after a Week 6 shutout loss in Denver that saw the Titans drop to 2-4, head coach Mike Vrabel made the decision to bench Mariota in favor of Tannehill. It was a move that changed Tennessee’s season.

Tennessee went 7-3 with Tannehill under center, earning the sixth seed in the AFC playoffs with a record of 9-7. From Week 7 on, the Titans had the fourth-most potent offense in the NFL, averaging more than 30 points per game; under Mariota, they ranked 26th in points scored through the first six weeks. Tannehill has the second-highest passer rating in the league since taking over at 119.6, behind only soon-to-be MVP Lamar Jackson of the Ravens.

Tannehill’s throwing ability compared to Mariota benefited the entire offense. Rookie wide receiver A.J. Brown only had one 100-yard game and two touchdowns with Mariota; since Tannehill took over, he has eclipsed 100 yards in a game four times and scored six touchdowns, averaging more than 20 yards per reception. Tannehill led the NFL in yards per attempt this season.

Even with the added spark to their offense that Tannehill provided, the Titans weren’t expected to get to the AFC Championship Game, having to go through both New England and Baltimore the first two weeks. But then they upset the Patriots in Foxborough they beat the NFL’s hottest team in the Ravens in the divisional round. Credit for those victories rightly went to Henry, who became the first running back in NFL history to rush for more than 180 yards in three straight games.

Tannehill was a mere spectator for much of the game in Baltimore. Tennessee attempted only one pass in the final 20 minutes. Tannehill finished with 88 yards on seven completions, a week after throwing for 72 yards in the win in New England, the first time a quarterback has won back-to-back playoff games throwing for less than 100 yards since 1974.

Even after falling short in the AFC Championship against the Kansas City Chiefs, Tannehill will go into this offseason in a much different position than last year. Mariota is also a free agent, as is Henry (although Henry is likely to either sign a long-term deal or receive the franchise tag).

The duo of Tannehill and Henry carried Tennessee further than almost anyone could’ve imagined this season; the Titans would be wise to see just how much further they can go in 2020.