Tennessee Titans left tackle Taylor Lewan admitted he’s thought about life after the Tennessee Titans. He’s also contemplated life after the NFL.The nine-year veteran spoke candidly about his future, the possibility of returning to the team and if his NFL career is over during a segment of his podcast “Bussin’ with the Boys” on Wednesday.“It’s tough, but it really just turns into it’s out of your control,” Lewan said. “So like I kind of sit there and wonder, what if I am done as a Titan? Because you never know what’s going to happen.”Lewan suffered a season-ending ACL injury in a Week 2 loss to the Buffalo Bills, creating questions about whether it’s worth it for the Titans to keep Lewan beyond this season.PROTECTING TANNEHILLThe Titans are finally protecting Ryan Tannehill. Here’s why that’s importantTREYLON BURKSTitans still evaluating Burks’ foot injury. No timetable on returnMultiple factors in determining a course of action will weigh heavily on Titans general manager Jon Robinson and coach Mike Vrabel. The Titans (2-2) placed Lewan on injured reserve a few days after his Sept. 19 injury and slid veteran Dennis Daley into the left tackle spot. Daley’s experience as a 13-game starter for the Carolina Panthers has provided a buffer for the loss, so the Titans aren’t in any hurry to address Lewan’s future.But the clock is ticking.Lewan signed a 5-year, $80 million contract extension in 2018, the largest in league history for an offensive lineman at the time. He has a base salary of $12.9 million this season and a cap hit at $14.6 million. Those numbers increase slightly next year with a base salary of $14.8 million and a cap hit of the same number. He still ranks among the 20 top-paid offensive linemen in the league.The case for moving on from LewanThe Titans would save about $14 million in cap space if they part ways after this season. He’s owed no guaranteed money in the final year of his contract and his dead-cap hit would only be $1.7 million. With the league-wide salary cap projected to increase to as much a $225 million, that could leave the Titans with enough cap room to make some interesting decisions in free agency.Lewan’s second ACL tear in the past three years couldn’t have come at a worse time. At 31 years old, he’s missed 34 of the Titans’ last 66 regular-season games. He played only five games in 2020 before tearing his knee and missed four games last year because of knee and back issues. He was suspended four games in 2019 for violating the league’s policy against performing enhancing substances.And there’s the question of whether Lewan would want to subject his body to more physical hardship. He’s anticipating another operation on his right knee to live a normal life.”What if it is over for me?” Lewan asked on his podcast. “What if football is done with me? … I’ve got a lot to think about. I’ve got a lot to do in the next few months to figure out what I want my life to look like in the future.”Lewan will be entering his 10th season next year and an unrestricted free agent in 2024. Tennessee has had success without him in the lineup, with a 15-7 record in the past 22 games that Lewan has missed since 2019, including wins against Las Vegas and Indianapolis this season. With each passing injury, and passing year, The Titans aren’t getting high return value if they trade Lewan.The Titans are also young up front. The average age of the offensive line is 27.3 years, with center Ben Jones the only one over 30, but the Titans have five linemen who will be restricted or unrestricted free agents in 2023.The case for keeping LewanWhen healthy, Lewan has proven to be among the top tackles in the league. He made three straight Pro Bowls from 2016-18 and had six straight seasons with 75-plus grades at left tackle to begin his career, according to Pro Football Focus.If recent history can be used to show Lewan the door, consider in 2021 he returned from a season-ending injury to start 13 games and help the Titans finish fifth in the NFL in rushing at 141.4 yards a game. It was the fifth time during his career that the offense ranked in the top five in rushing. And despite missing the first four games in 2019, Lewan helped Derrick Henry claim the NFL rushing title with 1,540 yards.If Lewan is open to restructuring his contract, Robinson could save cap space while keeping a valuable veteran who may no longer reach elite level but could perform at a high level when healthy.The 2023 NFL draft classMost anticipate next year’s draft class at offensive tackle to be subpar. That could change between now and the first round of the draft April 27, but most consider Ohio State’s Paris Johnson Jr. (6-foot-6, 315 pounds) and Northwestern’s Peter Skoronski (6-4, 310) to be the top two at the position.This is Johnson’s first year at left tackle for the Buckeyes, and some project Skoronski to move to guard at the pro level. Miami’s Zion Nelson (6-5, 315) and Maryland’s Jaelyn Duncan (6-6, 288) also are among the top prospects, while Johnson’s teammate, Dawand Jones (6-8, 370), may be the most imposing tackle prospect because of his size.Johnson and Skoronski look like sure-fire first-rounders who could be taken mid to late in the round. If Lewan is gone, will left tackle be the most pressing need in the draft? If the Titans reach the playoffs, they’ll be selecting in the back half of the draft, where top-flight tackles often are already off the board.Mining the free agent landscapeThe left tackle position is a premium position, which is why there aren’t many in the free agent market each year. That could work in Lewan’s favor. The Titans signed two offensive linemen during the free agency period in March in Ben Jones and Jamarco Jones, who is currently on injured reserve.Arguably the best offensive tackle on the 2023 free agent class is Kansas City’s Orlando Brown. Brown is only 26 and is playing on the franchise tag this year, after three straight Pro Bowl selections. He’s expressed a desire to stay in K.C., but if his asking price for an extension is too high for the Chiefs, he could be a player for Robinson to consider.Green Bay’s Elgton Jenkins could be available next year. He’s the Packers’ starting right tackle and is coming off an ACL tear in 2021. He has experience playing nearly every position on the offensive line and was a Pro Bowler at guard in 2020.Interestingly, former Titans star Jack Conklin, of the Cleveland Browns, will be an unrestricted free agent next year, along with Indianapolis’ Matt Pryor and San Francisco’s Mike McGlinchey, all of whom are under 30.
