Candidates to Continue Titans' Awards Haul

The Tennessee Titans have collected their fair share of hardware in the last few seasons.

Quarterback Ryan Tannehill was the 2019 Comeback Player of the Year. Running back Derrick Henry was the 2020 Offensive Player of the Year. And last season, Mike Vrabel became the first in franchise history to win Coach of the Year.

It is an unprecedented run that nearly has doubled the number of major NFL honors that this team has won during the Titans era. From 1999-2018, only defensive end Jevon Kearse (1999 Defensive Rookie of the Year), quarterback Steve McNair (2003 co-Most Valuable Player), quarterback Vince Young (2006 Offensive Rookie of the Year) and running back Chris Johnson (2009 Offensive Player of the Year) collected major awards.

It will be a challenge for Vrabel to repeat as Coach of the Year in 2022. More often than not, that honor goes to someone who turns a bad team into a good one. The Titans, of course, were the AFC’s best during the 2021 regular season, have won two straight division titles and have not had a losing record since 2016.

A winning record and a spot in the playoffs will be interpreted as business as usual. Anything less than that will be deemed a failure. Plus, it seems unlikely that he will have to use 90-plus players once again this season, which was a big factor in his victory last season.

However, there are players who figure to have a chance at extending the awards streak if they stay healthy and productive.

A look (limited to the awards administered by The Associated Press):

Defensive Rookie of the Year

Roger McCreary: The Titans selected just three players on defense in this year’s draft and two of them – safety Theo Jackson and inside linebacker Chance Campbell – currently have plenty of veterans in front of them. That leaves McCreary, the second-round pick out of Auburn, as the clear option here. Depending on Caleb Farley’s health and reliability, McCreary could be a starter early. He’ll have to do more than play, however, to win this award. He’ll have to get his hands on some passes. Only two cornerbacks have won this award in the 2000s. Marcus Peters (2015) led the NFL with eight interceptions, and Marshon Lattimore (2017) had five picks in his first season. So, five looks to be the minimum requirement for McCreary.

Offensive Rookie of the Year

Chig Okonkwo: OK, we’ll acknowledge right off the bat that no tight end ever has won this award, which dates back to 1967. However, with the possibility that none of this year’s rookie quarterbacks will be starters, there exists a rare opportunity for variety. Yes, Treylon Burks was a first-round pick and plays wide receiver – both of which work in his favor – but after a dismal offseason, his chances to start fast and stay in the conversation to the finish are slim. That leaves Okonkwo. If things go according to plan with the fourth-round pick out of Maryland, the offense will take advantage of his speed on seam routes and the like. That means he will have the opportunity to produce splash plays, score touchdowns and generate a big yards-per-catch average. Those are the things that could attract the attention of voters in a year when they are not focused on quarterbacks.

Comeback Player of the Year

Bud Dupree: The criterion for this award is imprecise, but it often goes to someone who plays at a high level after a serious injury the previous season. Yes, Dupree appeared in 11 contests in 2021, but if he delivers 10-plus sacks and is a consistently disruptive force on defense, it is possible that voters will recognize the fact that he rushed back from reconstructive knee surgery too quickly (even Dupree admitted as much) and that this season represents his actual return. Given the expectations for Tennessee’s defense in all and for a healthy Dupree, there seems to be a chance that he could put up the kind of numbers that make voters think he ought to be rewarded.

Defensive Player of the Year

Jeffery Simmons: Aaron Donald has won this award three times in the last five years, and nearly every analyst and expert agree that Simmons is the closest thing to Donald anywhere in the NFL at present. So, if the Los Angeles Rams defensive lineman gets injured or shows signs of decline (he just turned 31), Simmons could turn some heads. He was a Pro Bowler and a second-team All-Pro in 2021, which means his reputation is on the rise. And he is a disruptive force up front who is capable of putting up big numbers in multiple statistics (sacks, forced fumbles, fumble recoveries, tackles for loss), and that could give him an edge over a player who merely piles up sacks or interceptions.

Offensive Player of the Year

Derrick Henry: Beginning with CJ2K in 2009, 13 different players have won this award in the last 13 years. So, it would be noteworthy if King Henry makes it two in three years. If he still has his top gear in the wake of last season’s foot surgery, then everyone knows Henry has the ability to break the long runs that fill up highlight reels. Either way, he still should have the size and power to delight with his legendary stiff-arm and light up the scoreboard with a lot of touchdowns. Four players – Terrell Davis (1998), Priest Holmes (2002), Shaun Alexander (2005) and LaDainian Tomlinson (2006) – have scored more than 20 rushing touchdowns and averaged better than five yards per carry in the same season. All four won Offensive Player of the Year. It is doubtful that Henry will rush for more than 2,000 yards again, but if healthy, the 20-5.0 combo seems well within his reach.

Most Valuable Player

Ryan Tannehill: Up until now, Tannehill has been viewed as more of a caretaker of the Titans’ offense than a catalyst for its success. However, with an overhaul of the wide receiver group (A.J. Brown traded to Philadelphia, Julio Jones released, etc.) and the return of Henry from injury, all eyes will be on the quarterback. Plus, with third-round draft pick Malik Willis on the roster, Tannehill has pressure to perform for the first time since he replaced Marcus Mariota seven games into the 2019 season. Most expect the defense to carry the Titans in 2022, particularly early in the year, but if the offense does its part and puts up a lot of points, and if Tannehill continues to excel in late-game situations (13 game-winning drives in 30 victories with Tennessee), he might just find himself in the conversation for an honor that has gone to a quarterback 14 times in the last 15 seasons.