Tennessee Titans safety Kevin Byard has been at the center of many rumors this offseason. The two-time All-Pro carries a cap hit of over $19.623 million in 2023, and his contract is proving to be an issue for the Titans.

First-year GM Ran Carthon confirmed in a recent press conference that the Titans asked Byard to take a pay cut earlier in the offseason, something Byard had no interest in doing. Ever since, trade rumors have surrounded Byard as Tennessee weighs their options for the upcoming season.

While the Titans might be open to the idea of moving Byard because of his current salary, recent comments from Titans teammate Roger McCreary prove just how valuable Byard is to the organization. 

McCreary spoke to the media last week to talk about his offseason and his expectations for his second NFL season.

The former Auburn defensive back and 2022 second-round round pick said that preparing for his second season as a pro is much easier without the distractions of a Pro Day, the combine, and the uncertainty that surrounds the draft.

Instead, McCreary has been able to spend an entire offseason improving his body and his game, and he's relying on Byard to help him do so. McCreary and Byard have been training together in Nashville this offseason, and McCreary told the media that he is looking to Byard as Tennessee's defensive leader for tips on how to train.

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"I ask him a lot of questions about his resources," McCreary said of Byard's offseason regiment. "I ask him 'Who feeds you? Who's cooking you food? Who's working on your body?' I ask him everything about stuff like that because I see how great of a career he has had and that's the kind of career I'm trying to have."

We already know what an incredible player Byard is on the field. Even approaching 30 years old and entering his eighth season in the NFL, Byard is still at the very top of his game and one of the best safeties in all of football. But McCreary's testimony is a perfect example of why Byard is so valuable to the Titans.

Byard's impact in Tennessee is more than his excellent play on the field. He is the heart of the Titans' defense and a role model to every young player on the team. Byard has a clean bill of health and is the epitome of a good teammate.

Even if his play wasn't worth the $19.623 million cap hit (which it absolutely is), keeping Byard on the roster for 2023 and beyond will help McCreary and others come into their own as defensive stars. 

Byard is everything you want in a franchise player, and hearing from his teammates affirms that thought even more.