Taylor Lewan is sure to be one of the most sought-after players in 2023 NFL free agency after the three-time Pro Bowler was given his walking papers by the Tennessee Titans today.
On Wednesday, Taylor Lewan revealed on his “Bussin’ With The Boys” podcast that the only team he has played for during his nine seasons in the NFL, the Tennessee Titans, was releasing him from the final year of his contract.
“I hope I did enough to create something all the Titan fans can be proud of, I love you all.”
– Taylor Lewan following Titans release
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In cutting the 31-year-old, the Tennessee Titans will save close to $15 million next season (via Spotrac). The eleventh overall pick in the 2014 NFL Draft is one of the first big-name cap casualties as the league closes in on the official finish to the current league year.
4 likely destinations for Taylor Lewan in 2023 NFL free agency
The offensive tackle now joins Las Vegas Raiders star QB Derek Carr early on the NFL free-agent market, and like Carr, Lewan is sure to garner a great deal of interest from around the league despite only playing in 20 games over the last three seasons.
With that in mind, let’s take a look at four teams with a bunch of cap space and a need for a proven tackle that is likely to give Taylor Lewan a call in the next few weeks.
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears have the most available cap space this offseason and have a dire need for better blockers after Justin Fields was the most sacked quarterback in the NFC last season. Furthermore, the Bears were a dominant running squad last season and surely could use a piece from the outstanding Titans rushing offenses to bolster one of their few strengths in 2023.
Seattle Seahawks
Even though the Seattle Seahawks surprised last season and reached the NFL Playoffs, the team still needs to make some major upgrades to the offensive line after Geno Smith was one of the most sacked signal-callers in the AFC last season. They also have a great deal of cap space to fill a key need without having to make space under their salary cap.
Cincinnati Bengals
For as talented as the Cincinnati Bengals’ offense has been the last two seasons, their offensive line has been their Achilles heel. Even at full strength and with a stud tackle like La’el Collins, it is not up to the level it needs to be to keep superstar QB Joe Burrow upright and healthy all season. Lewan’s injury history should worry Cincy considering what they dealt with in the playoffs, but his talent is worth the risk in trying to get back to the Super Bowl in 2023.
Houston Texans
The Houston Texans will have a rookie QB starting for them in 2023, and aside from a good running game, a talented offensive line is a young quarterback’s best friend. The team already has a good tackle in Laremy Tunsil on the roster. Adding another to bookend their offensive line and give their future franchise QB as much time as possible would be a good start for the new DeMeco Ryans regime as head coach.