The Tennessee Titans have to re-sign somebody . . . right?

The NFL's free agency window opens next week, and the Titans are positioned to spend their way into a new era. First-year coach Brian Callahan inherited a roster poised to lose more than two dozen players to free agency, including 15 who were regular starters at some point last season. With more than $80 million in available salary cap space and a new coaching staff ready to install its own systems and ideologies, it stands to reason that the old guard of Titans players is on its way out.

So today, let's rank the Titans' pending free agents into tiers, sorted by how strongly the team should pursue bringing them back and how likely it would happen.

(For the purpose of this exercise, we're not counting restricted or exclusive-rights free agents Jack Gibbens, Julius Chestnut and Calvin Throckmorton.)

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Tier 1: Get these guys back ASAP — Azeez Al-Shaair, Denico Autry, Sean Murphy-Bunting

Autry might be a tough sell to bring back. He has been one of the Titans' best and most productive defenders for three years, amassing 28.5 sacks and 30 tackles for loss, and his versatility across three positions is a huge asset to scheme design. But he turns 34 this offseason, he doesn't have any loyalties to the new coaching staff, he was signed by the previous general manager and he could provide tremendous value to a real championship contender.

Murphy-Bunting and Al-Shaair, however, make a little more sense as return guys. They both signed one-year deals last offseason and acquitted themselves well. Unlike Autry, they signed contracts under GM Ran Carthon's regime. And the Titans have huge needs at cornerback and linebacker.

Al-Shaair's case is complicated a little by the injury to his former 49ers teammate Dre Greenlaw, creating a path for him to return to San Francisco next season, but there's a more obvious path to starting time if he stays in Tennessee.

Predictions: Murphy-Bunting re-signs; Autry and Al-Shaair sign elsewhere.

Tier 2: Sure, bring them back — Chris Hubbard, Chris Moore, K'Von Wallace, Nick Folk

Folk is as solid as a veteran special teams duo can be. Especially after years of struggles in the kicking game, the Titans absolutely should consider bringing Folk back to keep things steady.

Moore, Hubbard and Wallace are better depth pieces than they are plug-and-play starters. But all three were Carthon acquisitions, Hubbard has experience playing under new offensive line coach Bill Callahan, Wallace has experience playing for new defensive coordinator Dennard Wilson, and Moore simply has earned his shot to stick around with the team.

Predictions: All four of these players end up back with the Titans.

Tier 3: The Derrick Henry problem — Derrick Henry

The Titans realistically shouldn't bring Henry back. Paying $10 million to a 30-year-old running back is the sort of thing you do when you're a feature back away from winning a Super Bowl, not when you're breaking in a new staff. This is why the Titans drafted Tyjae Spears last year.

But . . . c'mon. He's Derrick Henry. He's arguably the best player in Tennessee Titans history. He's inarguably the most important player of the past decade. At the very least, letting him walk is complicated.

Ultimately, this might not be the Titans' decision. It's Henry's choice where he wants to go next.

Prediction: Henry signs elsewhere.

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Tier 4: If all else fails . . . — Jaleel Johnson, Kyle Peko, Marlon Davidson, Ross Blacklock, Terrell Edmunds, Trevon Wesco, Trevis Gipson

A bunch of depth pieces added last year to fit the schemes of the previous regime. Some of these guys, particularly Johnson and Peko, played well at times. If they end up back with the Titans, they'll find their own, small roles. But don't count on it.

Predictions: All seven end up elsewhere.

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Tier 5: Thank you for your time — Aaron Brewer, Corey Levin, Joe Jones, Jonathan Ward, Kevin Rader, Kristian Fulton, Nick Westbrook-Ikhine, Ryan Tannehill

Eight players acquired by the previous front office and coaching staff. Tannehill will go down as one of the better quarterbacks in franchise history. Fulton, Brewer and Westbrook-Ikhine all had their moments as valuable pieces but weren't consistent enough. Ward, Jones, Levin and Rader served their roles, too, albeit in smaller capacities.

It's just tough to see any of them sticking around post-Mike Vrabel and Jon Robinson. Give Tannehill his chance to have a last act, let Brewer and Fulton reinvent themselves and see if the others can carve out roles somewhere else similar to what they had in Tennessee.

Predictions: All eight sign elsewhere.

Nick Suss is the Titans beat writer for The Tennessean. Contact Nick at nsuss@gannett.com. Follow Nick on X, the platform formerly called Twitter, @nicksuss.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Titans' free agent predictions: Should Derrick Henry be brought back?