After an abysmal showing in the divisional-round loss to the Cincinnati Bengals, Tennessee Titans quarterback Ryan Tannehill is on the hot seat.
Despite Titans general manager Jon Robinson and players having spoken out publicly to support their embattled signal-caller, many fans are on the opposite side of the spectrum when it comes to Tannehill.
However, for those hoping for a major change, it’s going to be difficult.
If the Titans cut Tannehill, they’ll incur a dead-cap hit of $57.4 million if the move is made before June 1. After June 1, the dead-cap hit falls to $38.6 million, but that isn’t feasible to absorb, either.
As far as trading Tannehill is concerned, the Titans would incur a dead-cap hit of $28.4 million if he’s traded before June 1.
After June 1, Tannehill’s dead-cap number is much more palatable at $9.6 million, but any team acquiring him would have to take on cap hits of $29 and $27 million over the next two seasons, which presents another possible roadblock.
Regardless of all that, CBS Sports’ Cody Benjamin names Tannehill as someone the Titans should trade in 2022.
“If the Seahawks are one of the few teams with an unmistakably elite QB, the Titans are one of maybe a dozen with QBs good enough to earn big money and maybe even guide a playoff run but rarely lift teammates to championship heights. That makes their predicament especially challenging, when mostly everyone else is in it. Where can you turn at QB, after all, if all that surrounds you are other, slightly better or worse mid-tier starters? That’s only partially relevant to the issue at hand: Tannehill, on his own, is not worth the $38.6M he’s due in 2022 — an outrageous figure that makes him the NFL’s fifth highest-paid QB.
“The former Dolphins starter helped turn the Titans into what they are today: a tough, respectable, old-school contender. But approaching 34, he’s now 0-3 in his last three playoff starts, with at least two of those losses largely on his hands. Is it a stretch to suggest any top-16ish QB could ride Derrick Henry and their offense to a playoff appearance? Jimmy Garoppolo is at least doing that, no? More receiving help wouldn’t hurt, but it seems just as likely the current Tannehill-led setup has reached its peak. Moving him for a big swing via trade or in the draft (Malik Willis? Matt Corral?) would also save $10.2M.”
Not only would the aforementioned numbers have to work for both the Titans and the team acquiring Tannehill, but Tennessee would also need to have a solution to replace the veteran at the position.
Unless they can pull off a blockbuster deal for an Aaron Rodgers or Russell Wilson (and ideally include Tannehill in such a trade), the Titans would be making a lateral move with just about anyone else.
Sure, Tennessee could look to the draft for a new quarterback, but this class isn’t very strong at all, and there’s no guarantee a young quarterback will work out to begin with, something the Titans know all too well.
With the situation being as messy as it is, we just don’t see the Titans trading Tannehill.
Perhaps fans will get an upgrade at the backup spot or a potential quarterback of the future in the 2022 NFL draft, but that’s about all we expect to happen this offseason — and we hope we’re wrong.
