Left Tackle Listed as Biggest Offseason Need for Tennessee Titans by The Athletic's NFL Staff

With the NFL offseason in full swing, teams around the league have started to examine their biggest needs to address over the next several months. According to The Athletic's NFL staff, the Tennessee Titans have one major need they'll need to fill along the offensive line this offseason.

NASHVILLE -- The Tennessee Titans have several major needs on the offensive side of the ball, but none is more important than what direction they decide to go at left tackle. Current left tackle Taylor Lewan has said on several different occasions that he expects to be released. Whether or not that happens remains to be seen, but given that Lewan himself has come out and made it known that's a possibility, the Titans should operate as if he won't be a part of the team in 2023.

The Athletic NFL staff put out an article on Monday highlighting the biggest needs for all 32 teams around the league. For Tennessee, left tackle was chosen as their biggest need, which makes sense given what we know about Lewan's potential future with the team.

Lewan, who's set to make $14.8 million in 2023, has struggled to stay healthy over the last several season. The former first-round pick tore his ACL in 2020 and suffered another knee injury in Week 2 against the Buffalo Bills this past season that caused him to miss the rest of the season. In total, Lewan has appeared in only 20 games out of a possible 50 over the last three seasons due to injuries.

With that in mind, Tennessee must find a way to address left tackle this offseason. Outside of quarterback, left tackle is arguably the next most-important position on an NFL roster. We witnessed how much the Titans struggled -- particularly down the stretch -- without Lewan protecting the quarterback's blindside this past season.

Replacing a 3x Pro Bowler in Lewan won't be that easy. Left tackle can be one of the tricker positions to get right long-term for NFL teams. Luckily, the Titans hold the 11th pick in the upcoming 2023 draft, which could put them in prime position to select one of college's top tackle prospects, such as Ohio State's Paris Johnson Jr. or maybe even Northwestern's Peter Skoronski. Free agency, depending on who may become available, is also another option to address the position.

One thing's for certain, though, whatever direction Tennessee decides to go, a position with this kind of importance cannot be ignored. New GM Ran Carthon and the Titans must find a long-term solution at left tackle this offseason.