Harold Landry is precisely the kind of player the Tennessee Titans pay to keep
NASHVILLE — Keeping Harold Landry on the Tennessee Titans roster next year (and beyond) will not come cheap. Regardless of his price, Landry is precisely the kind of player that general manager Jon Robinson tends to reward. Through four years in Tennessee, Landry has earned every penny. The NFL's window for clubs to apply the franchise […]
NASHVILLE — Keeping Harold Landry on the Tennessee Titans roster next year (and beyond) will not come cheap. Regardless of his price, Landry is precisely the kind of player that general manager Jon Robinson tends to reward.
Through four years in Tennessee, Landry has earned every penny.
The NFL's window for clubs to apply the franchise tag to pending free agents before they hit the market opened on Tuesday. Landry is the only legitimate Titans tag candidate, but no rash decisions will be made. Free agency will not officially open until March 16 at 3 PM CT this year.
Teams are then permitted to contact and enter into contract negotiations with agents of players ready to test their markets.
Robinson rewards committed Titans players
Since becoming GM in January of 2016, Robinson certainly has a type when it comes to Titans in-house signings.
Tennessee has consistently rewarded players who are committed to the cause, durable and productive. That may seem obvious, but the reality is that the vast majority of NFL players never end up signing the premium second deal. The perception of the Titans as a cheap franchise that did not pay to keep players predated Robinson's tenure.
Now, those seeking the kind of generational wealth that the NFL can provide know that, if those three simple tenets are met, they will be rewarded.
Robinson has done so with substantial deals for players he considers critical to the team's foundation. Jurrell Casey (4 yr / $60.4M), Taylor Lewan (5 yr / $80M), Kevin Byard (5 yr / $70.5M), Ryan Tannehill (4 yr / $118M) and Derrick Henry (4 yr / $50M) were all rewarded by Tennessee for their efforts.
Landry very much fits the same mold.
"I think we have got some guys that I love coming to work and I would be disappointed if they weren’t with us next year," said Titans coach Mike Vrabel when asked about his roster with parts like Landry that may well change. "I love what they are about. I love how they prepare, how they compete. I think that what these guys believe in is they believe in the team. They believe in playing a certain brand of football about effort and playing physical and playing together."
Tennessee has options at their disposal. Keeping this pass rush together may well be their best advantage as 2022 Super Bowl contenders.
Should the Titans franchise tag Landry?
NFL teams do not let 25-year old edge rushers at the peak of their powers walk.
Robinson, in particular, has to be cognizant of how difficult those guys are to come by. The Titans are well within their rights to tag Landry, but that would only serve as a band-aid in need of future resolution. Spotrac.com projects the tag values at $18.5 million and $17.5 million at the linebacker and defensive end positions respectively.
Landry could qualify for either but that unmitigated cap hit in a year where there are other needs is too much to bear.
Salary cuts will be made given that Tennessee is currently $7.1 million over budget. Landry will be in demand coming off of a career year and has already expressed a desire to cash in as one of his offseason priorities. The Titans can use it as a tool to keep him under team control while they continue further negotiations, as they did with Henry in 2020.
Of course, the larger complication is a massive contract fellow defender Bud Dupree got from Robinson last year at the same position.
It is a good time to be Harold Landry, regardless of where he lands.
Featured Image: USA TODAY Sports.
