The five most pressing questions for Tennessee Titans to answer this offseason | Estes

After a few days, I don’t think the temperature has gone down much.

I'm reading emails and messages and listening to talk radio and having random conversations, and they're all telling me how disappointed everyone is in the Tennessee Titans. Not just disappointed, but angry. Incensed, even. Frustrated. Searching for someone to blame for Saturday’s playoff loss to the Cincinnati Bengals.

Would it do any good to point out the Titans won 12 games this season — and 11 games the previous season?

Perhaps it’s a sign of growth that the Titans have become prominent enough to stir such a passionate public reaction to a loss in Middle Tennessee, but that’s not going to be much consolation as they enter the 2022 offseason earlier than they wanted. Nonetheless, the offseason has arrived.

Even for winning NFL teams, it brings tough questions. The Titans figure to face their share of them in 2022:

1. Do you look to add a quarterback?

If this wasn’t atop the offseason list before Saturday, it is now. Ryan Tannehill’s struggles in the playoff loss – after a season of regression – were enough to create quarterback speculation that wasn’t there previously.

In an AFC dripping with young quarterbacking talent, the Titans have their wagon hitched to a quarterback who’ll turn 34 in July and is proving alarmingly unreliable in the postseason. Tannehill’s extravagant contract – and the fact the franchise's window for a title is still open – means he’s all but certain to remain the Titans’ quarterback.

But at the very least, it’s time to begin exploring a post-Tannehill plan, especially since the Titans have perhaps the NFL’s most unproven backup in Logan Woodside.

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Marcus Mariota was still an unquestioned starter when Jon Robinson quietly traded on the cheap for Tannehill. That proved a great move, and a similarly understated trade (Daniel Jones? Jimmy Garoppolo? Taylor Heinicke?) for a backup might make more sense than wasting resources on a splash like, say, Russell Wilson.

And if not, would the Titans consider drafting a quarterback in the first round? Better yet, would they move up to draft a quarterback in the first round?

The Titans’ hand isn't being forced yet. They probably still aren’t on a list of quarterback-needy NFL teams, but nothing wrong with being proactive in order to not end up there.

2. Is an overhaul inevitable on the offensive line?

When the NFL reduced its salary cap in 2021, the Titans did what most franchises were doing. They restructured some contracts to ease the short-term cap hit and push expenses into the future, when the salary cap would be back to normal. Indeed, the 2022 cap will increase considerably, but the Titans still must look for ways to cut costs. And that figures to focus attention on an aging offensive line.

According to Spotrac, 21% of the Titans’ 2021 cap went toward the offensive line, which was higher than any other position group. That was mostly because of three veteran players: Left tackle Taylor Lewan (Age: 30), left guard Rodger Saffold (33) and center Ben Jones (32).

Jones’ contract is up, but the Titans – again, per Spotrac – could save nearly $25 million in 2022 cap space by parting ways with Lewan and Saffold, each of whom was limited by injuries this past season. Lewan, in particular, has been confident about his desire to stay with the Titans. Cutting him loose would be an extremely tough call for Robinson.

It would create a pressing need at a premium position (forcing immediate action in free agency or the draft). It would also highlight how costly the Titans’ swing-and-miss on 2020 first-rounder Isaiah Wilson continues to be, especially since 2021 second-round pick Dillon Radunz’s rookie season – despite one solid outing – wasn’t encouraging.

3. Is there a way to keep Harold Landry?

Landry’s 12 sacks guarantee that an NFL team is about to pay him a lot of money. But will the Titans have cap space to be that team? Probably not.

This decision, in many ways, was made last year when the Titans signed Bud Dupree to an expensive free-agent deal, making him one of the highest-paid players on the team. Denico Autry was signed to a nice deal, too. Those additions – as well as what’ll be needed to keep Jeffery Simmons (see No. 5 below) – don’t appear to leave enough cash to keep Landry.

Even if the Titans were to franchise tag him, Landry’s deal would still be crazy expensive and probably not worth the cost with other needs on the roster.

Landry would be missed. He has been a productive and steady defensive presence for a while. I’m sure the Titans want to keep him. I just don’t see how they can.

4. Who else will be catching passes?

After losing Jonnu Smith in free agency, the Titans didn’t answer the tight end question last offseason as much as they just punted it to 2022. As a result, they still lacked a true No. 1. With Geoff Swaim, Anthony Firkser and MyCole Pruitt all on expiring deals, the Titans need to give this position the attention it deserves. Whether it’s addition through free agency or the draft, the Titans’ passing game needs more than its tight ends were able to provide in 2021.

For that matter, the Titans need more reliable depth at wide receiver, too. Nick Westbrook-Ikhine has earned the new deal he’ll likely get, but how much faith did rookies Racey McMath and Dez Fitzpatrick earn in limited duty? How much are you willing to spend to bring back Marcus Johnson – a talent who simply can’t stay healthy – and special teams contributor Chester Rogers?

5. How much urgency is there to extend Jeffery Simmons and A.J. Brown?

Two major expenses are on the horizon, as the Titans’ top two 2019 picks are each sure to re-sign for big money. Extending each will be a no-brainer. Simmons and Brown are already two of this franchise’s best players and two of the NFL’s top rising stars. The only question is whether it’ll be sooner or later that the Titans decide to absorb the salary cap blows.

Brown’s rookie deal is set to expire after the 2022 season, and a fifth-year option would extend first-rounder Simmons through 2023. But the Titans could be proactive with two players who’ve obviously earned the huge raise they’re bound to get.

Reach Gentry Estes at gestes@tennessean.com and on Twitter @Gentry_Estes.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: For Tennessee Titans, 5 burning questions for a too-early offseason