Report: Ryan Tannehill could be available via trade
The Tennessee Titans starter’s status for 2023 is far from certain.
NASHVILLE — There has been a general uneasiness all offseason around quarterback Ryan Tannehill's status with the Tennessee Titans. Performance earned the veteran a four-year, $118 million dollar contract in 2020.
Tannehill is set to play 2023 on an expiring deal and, reportedly, might be available to other teams for the right price.
"Teams I talk to do believe that Tannehill could be, or is, available via trade," ESPN's Jeremy Fowler said Sunday morning on SportsCenter. "He's got a $36 million cap hit. New GM Ran Carthon is resetting this roster in a big way, they're making some moves. And so, right now they would need a replacement though, they would need somebody in place."
Notably, Tennessee has not done anything as of Sunday morning to try and alleviate some of Tannehill's cap hit.
Even more notably, the Titans do not have a viable starting solution in a world without Tannehill on the roster. Malik Willis was nowhere close to ready in his three rookie starts, but will have another offseason to prove himself. Any quarterback decisions that Carthon would make for Thursday's first round of the 2023 NFL Draft shift to more than just picking a rookie.
That hypothetical damn sure had better end with a prospect that is ready to play.
A more developmental prospect in the absence of Tannehill simply will not do. Tennessee is far from the level of competitiveness that Carthon and Mike Vrabel aspire to, even after several functional waves of free agency. Six total picks (as of Sunday afternoon) in the upcoming draft make trading up from No. 11 overall difficult, but far from impossible.
What the Titans ultimately do at quarterback this offseason will be fascinating. Buckle up for draft night, kids.
Featured Image: USA TODAY Sports.
