The Tennessee Titans may have drafted their quarterback of the future on Friday night in the third round of the 2022 NFL Draft.
Tennessee selected Liberty quarterback Malik Willis with the No. 86 overall pick.
Enjoy the ride, baby! 🤙🏽@malikwillis pic.twitter.com/Cor0Dxw9rn
— Tennessee Titans (@Titans) April 30, 2022
Willis is considered a raw prospect who needs some time to develop, which means Ryan Tannehill will still be the Titans’ starter in 2022.
But beyond 2022?
For now, the Titans aren’t tipping their hand. Head coach Mike Vrabel spoke to reporters on Friday evening after Willis was drafted and he was of course asked about Tannehill.
Vrabel wouldn’t commit to Tannehill beyond the 2022 season, saying “I don’t think anyone is going to talk about anyone’s future tonight”.
Vrabel on Tannehill: Too soon to talk about anybody’s future. Just excited to develop a young player. #Titans pic.twitter.com/tm3OAGESlJ
— AtoZ Sports Nashville (@AtoZSports) April 30, 2022
On top of not committing to Tannehill beyond this upcoming season, Titans general manager Jon Robinson also admitted on Friday that the team didn’t consult with Tannehill before selecting Willis.
Jon Robinson said #Titans did not consult Ryan Tannehill before drafting Malik Willis.
— Terry McCormick (@terrymc13) April 30, 2022
Typically, teams will give the starting quarterback a heads up if they’re going to select another quarterback in the draft, just to let them know the plan.
The fact that Tennessee won’t commit to Tannehill beyond 2022 and didn’t talk to him about drafting Willis tells us plenty about the Titans’ future plans.
While things can obviously change, it certainly feels as though Tennessee is preparing for life without Tannehill after the 2022 season, when the veteran quarterback can be released with just an $18.8 million dead cap hit (compared to a $57 million dead cap hit this offseason).
Featured image via Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports
