The Tennessee Titans and Ryan Tannehill are at a crossroads. The Titans drafted Will Levis in the second round of the 2023 NFL Draft and everything points towards them handing him the keys to the franchise in the near future. But what does that mean for Tannehill?
After a disappointing 2022 season that saw the Titans fail to extend their streak of six winning seasons in a row, it was clear that there would be some short of shake-up in Tennessee. A poor 7-10 record was headlined by injuries and a dysfunctional offense which suffered even more with Tannehill briefly out of the lineup.
Heading into the 2023 NFL Draft, the rumours were that the Titans were in pursuit of a quarterback and could trade up with the Arizona Cardinals for the No. 3 pick to select the QB of their choosing. In turn, that led to rumblings that Tannehill was a legitimate trade target for a number of teams.
In the end, the Titans didn’t trade up in the first round, instead drafting offensive lineman Peter Skoronski with the No. 11 pick. However, they did trade up to the No. 33 pick to draft Will Levis out of Kentucky. Levis was initially touted as a top-10 pick, but his slide to the start of the second round came as a real surprise – one the Titans capitalized on.
Levis has all of the physical tools – the big arm, the athleticism, the toughness and size – to be a starting quarterback in the NFL – but needs some fine-tuning. If you’re thinking long-term, it’s clear the writing is on the wall for Tannehill in Tennessee.
The past four seasons have seen Tannehill cement himself as a top-half quarterback in the league. Between 2019 and 2022, Tannehill is fourth in EPA per play, per RBSDM, behind only Patrick Mahomes, Jimmy Garoppolo, and Aaron Rodgers. His ability to lead an offense – even if it has been one heliocentric to Derrick Henry – has been unparalleled by most. But he’s now 34 – 35 in July – and heading into the last year of his contract. He’ll be a free agent in 2024.
Does that mean the Titans will look to cash in on him and get some sort of draft capital while they can? After all, this is a team that should be looking to acquire as many picks as possible. It’s not out of the question, but it’s unlikely.
For starters the quarterback market is usually at its most saturated just after the draft. Most teams who needed a quarterback took one in the draft, and everyone else who needed one likely addressed it in free agency where possible.
There are still a few teams who could potentially use Tannehill, but the list really isn’t going to create a bidding war. The Commanders, Buccaneers, and possibly even the Patriots could be enticed to kick the tires on the Texas A&M alum. But knowing he’s a free agent in 2024 – it’s unlikely the Titans re-sign him, especially if the future is all about Levis – why wouldn’t they just wait a year and sign him to deal of their choosing?
It’s also wise to take into consideration the Titans current situation. Sure, they’ve drafted Will Levis to be their starting quarterback of the future, but the emphasis may well be on the future. Levis needs time to find his feet in the NFL and a redshirt year might be the best course of action. Nothing wrong with that. They can still evaluate him in the building and then give him the other three years on his rookie contract to cement himself as a starter.
You can bet on Mike Vrabel wanting to remain competitive. There are rumblings that the front office has lost faith in Malik Willis already after just one year, so it’s unlikely they’ll want him to start for an entire season. And if sitting Levis is indeed the smart play, then keeping Tannehill around makes the most sense.
All roads seemingly lead to the same conclusion then. The Titans are going to move on from Tannehill, but are likely going to hold off until the end of the season when he’s a free agent. He can still have a season to re-cement himself as a top-16 starter in the NFL while also helping mentor Levis in the short-term. Everyone wins.
-Thomas Valentine
Twitter: @tvalentinesport
Photo: Chipermc. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license.