Mike Vrabel leaves the door open for Titans QB change
Tennessee Titans head coach Mike Vrabel answers questions about QB Ryan Tannehill during annual NFL owners meetings.
Tennessee Titans head coach Mike Vrabel spoke to the media from the annual NFL owners meetings on Monday, and answered the burning question on everyone's mind about Titans starting quarterback Ryan Tannehill.
Tannehill, 34, carries a $36.6 million cap hit in 2023 after a down 2022 season that ended with a seven-game losing streak and an ankle surgery. The Titans have the 11th overall pick in the upcoming draft, Malik Willis under contract as Tannehill's backup, and very limited cap space to fill out the rest of their roster.
Trading or cutting Tannehill's contract would obviously free up some money to add weapons on offense or potentially pursue Lamar Jackson. But is that something Tennessee would even consider at this point?
Vrabel was asked by media if he expected Tannehill to be Tennessee's starting quarterback in September if everything goes according to plan this offseason.
"Of course," said the 2021 NFL Coach of the Year, who would then leave the door open to a potential change at the position.
"We're in March. We're continuing to build the best football team we can," Vrabel said. "To make predictions…I'm not going to commit to anybody being on our roster in September. I've just seen it change too quickly. But of course we want Ryan [Tannehill] as our quarterback and anybody else that has helped us win."
Vrabel's response is perfectly aligned with how the Titans have operated this offseason. As of now, it is expected that Ryan Tannehill will return to Nashville and be the Titans' quarterback in 2023.
That, however, may change as the offseason plays out.
New opportunities are always presenting themselves throughout the offseason, and if the Titans wind up with an opportunity to acquire a quarterback they feel is an upgrade over Tannehill, the door is not closed to them moving in a different direction.
Perhaps one of the top quarterbacks in the upcoming draft class falls to Tennessee at 11. Maybe the Lamar Jackson situation in Baltimore gets progressively worse and the Titans seize their opportunity.
Tannehill remains Tennessee's most secure option that they can fall back on, but the Titans should be in no rush to commit one way or another. Trading or releasing Tannehill after June 1st would save Tennessee $9.2 million more than if they move him before June.
The smartest move right now is to see how things shake out in the first round of the draft, wait on the Jackson/Ravens situation for a bit, and see what options are presented to you as things change.
The Titans are doing exactly what they should be: Leaving every door open.
Image via Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports
