HEADLINES

Tennessee Titans News & Rumors

Finding A Zach Ertz Destination

July 2nd, 2021 at 10:03pm CST by Sam Robinson

Months after Zach Ertz‘s name popped up in trade rumors, he remains with the Eagles. The three-time Pro Bowl tight end is not viewed as likely to be part of this year’s Philly team and did not report for the team’s offseason program. Despite a lengthy delay in this saga, a separation still feels imminent.

Ertz has one season left on the five-year, $42.5MM extension he signed way back in January 2016. The veteran lobbied for a new deal last year, but he and the Eagles could not agree on terms. Those disagreements became rather noticeable as well. Even if some suitors cannot presently afford Ertz’s $12.7MM cap number, which could cause the Eagles to finally release him, the team will likely try to work a trade for a bit longer.

Where will the 30-year-old pass catcher be come Week 1? Here are a few candidates:

Arizona Cardinals

This franchise has not shown a strong interest in bolstering this position in many years, and Kliff Kingsbury — with A.J. Green and Rondale Moore joining DeAndre Hopkins and Christian Kirk — may well opt to deploy more four-receiver sets. That said, the Cardinals’ additions of Green, J.J. Watt, Rodney Hudson, Brian Winters and Malcolm Butler illustrate a commitment to adding veterans to help the cause in a loaded NFC West. The Cards, who have Maxx Williams (304 yards in two Arizona seasons) as their top tight end, have not had a tight end surpass 600 yards in a season since moving to Arizona in 1988.

Buffalo Bills

The team most closely connected to Ertz this offseason, Buffalo has not received much from the tight end position in recent years. And the defending AFC East champions have lacked a higher-end receiving threat at this spot for much of its existence. Five Ertz receiving totals would eclipse the best tight end showing (726 yards) in the Bills’ 61-season history. While the Bills’ Stefon Diggs–Emmanuel Sanders–Cole Beasley–Gabriel Davis quartet leaves it well-stocked for aerial targets at present, the tight end position has come up as one the franchise would not mind bolstering.

Dawson Knox led Buffalo tight ends with 288 yards last season; the team lost Tyler Kroft in free agency and has second-year player Tommy Sweeney coming off a season in which he encountered severe COVID-19 issues. With the Bills in position to aim for a Super Bowl berth again, another weapon makes sense.

Indianapolis Colts

With Doug Pederson out of the NFL at the moment, the Colts serve as the reunion spot for Ertz. Carson Wentz played with Ertz for five seasons and helped him set a tight end record with 116 catches in 2018. Frank Reich coached Ertz the previous two years, and the Colts could certainly use another viable weapon — even if they figure to lean heavily on the run game.

Indianapolis re-signed T.Y. Hilton and has 2020 second-rounder Michael Pittman Jr. coming off a promising finish to his rookie season, but the team has not been able to keep injury-prone ex-second-rounder Parris Campbell on the field. Ninth-year tight end Jack Doyle and Mo Alie-Cox combined for just 645 yards last season. The Wentz trade, assuming he stays healthy for most of this season, will cost Indianapolis a first-round pick in 2022. Bringing in his former top target at a low cost would enhance the relocated QB’s comfort level and help justify the lofty investment.

Jacksonville Jaguars

This spot differs from the rest mentioned here, with the Jaguars coming off a 1-15 season and in clear rebuild mode. But Jacksonville drafted Trevor Lawrence and has no proven tight end to pair with him. The team leads the NFL in cap space ($38MM) as well.

Exiting draft weekend, Urban Meyer expressed concern about his team’s tight end depth chart. The Jags drafted Ohio State’s Luke Farrell in Round 5 and did go on to sign Tim Tebow. While this would seemingly not be a desirable spot for Ertz as a free agent, the Jags could make sense as an unorthodox trade destination.

Tennessee Titans

Ertz trade compensation would not approach what the Titans paid for Julio Jones, and even after acquiring the all-time Falcons great, the team was on the lookout for tight end assistance. The Titans lost Jonnu Smith and did not add a notable replacement. The Jones trade shows the Titans are committed to contending this season, even after losing Smith and Corey Davis. Even after a disappointing 2020 season, Ertz would provide a substantial upgrade over Anthony Firkser.

Titans Not Seeking Backup QB Upgrade

June 29th, 2021 at 10:52am CST by Sam Robinson

Ryan Tannehill missed games due to injury from 2016-18, dealing with multiple ACL tears during this span — one that included a full-season absence in 2017. But the former top-10 pick has re-established himself with the Titans, not missing a game for health reasons since his 2019 trade to Tennessee.

However, the Titans’ soon-to-be 33-year-old starter can still be labeled injury-prone. And Tennessee has an interesting backup situation. Logan Woodside has not seen the field much in three seasons, while DeShone Kizer‘s 2017 run as a starter played a significant role in the Browns completing the NFL’s second 0-16 season. But the Titans appear content with this duo behind Tannehill.

Woodside checked the necessary boxes for the Titans’ staff as Tannehill’s backup last year, according to TennesseeTitans.com’s Jim Wyatt, who adds the former seventh-round pick will have the edge to keep this gig over Kizer. The latter, a Browns 2017 second-rounder who landed on the Titans’ practice squad last November, has shown strides this offseason, Wyatt adds.

A Toledo product, Woodside has appeared in six games in three seasons. He has taken just 21 career snaps, with only three of those being pass plays. The Browns traded Kizer to the Packers after one season. The Notre Dame alum has not attempted a regular-season pass since 2018, when he completed 20 of 42 throws with Green Bay. Kizer led the league with 22 interceptions in 2017. The Raiders claimed him off waivers in September 2019 but cut him from their practice squad for good in September 2020.

Were the Titans to look at a veteran backup, Brett Hundley and Sean Mannion remain in free agency. The Titans carried Trevor Siemian on their practice squad for two months last year, but the Saints poached him from that unit in November. The Titans could look to the trade market, but as long as Tannehill is healthy, the team plans to roll with the Woodside-Kizer duo behind its starter.

FA Golden Tate Eyeing Titans, Colts, Rams

June 21st, 2021 at 5:05pm CST by Ben Levine

Golden Tate remains unsigned, but it sounds like the veteran receiver has his eye on a few teams. During an appearance on SiriusXM NFL Radio, the free agent wideout provided a list of three potential suitors that each offer a bit of familiarity.

“I would love to go back home to Tennessee,” Tate said (Twitter link). “Indy, over with Carson Wentz. Obviously, the LA Rams would be fantastic with Stafford.”

As Tate noted, he grew up in Tennessee, where he starred as a three-sport athlete (football, baseball, track and field). Of course, the Titans already pulled off a big acquisition at the position when they traded for Julio Jones, but there’s a chance they could be looking for more depth at receiver.

Tate’s best seasons came in Detroit, where he served as one of Matthew Stafford‘s favorite targets and collected three 1,000-plus-yard campaigns. Stafford now finds himself in Los Angeles, and the Rams already signed one veteran this offseason in DeSean Jackson, adding him to a crowded depth chart that is highlighted by Cooper Kupp, Robert Woods, and 2020 second-round pick Van Jefferson.

Perhaps Tate’s best chance at playing time would be with the Colts, where he’d be reunited with former Eagles teammate Carson Wentz. The duo only saw time in five games together during their stints in Philly, but Indianapolis could provide an opportunity for them to team up again. Tate would have a chance to unseat the likes of JJ Nelson and/or Dezmon Patmon for one of the final receiver spots on the roster.

The 32-year-old has seen time in 23 games for the Giants over the past two seasons, collecting 84 receptions for 1,064 yards and eight touchdowns.

Latest On Titans LT Taylor Lewan

June 16th, 2021 at 9:19pm CST by Rory Parks

We heard several weeks ago that Titans left tackle Taylor Lewan, whose 2020 season was cut short due to an ACL tear in October, was on track to return for training camp. That might not be the case, however.

As Kayla Anderson of WKRN.com writes, Lewan — who turns 30 next month — hopes to be ready for the start of the regular season. “I could sit here and predict a bunch of things, but you never know what can happen in these next six to seven weeks,” he said. “I expect it to go swimmingly, smooth, but you never know what could happen.”

Lewan said that he’s pleased with the way his rehab is progressing, but there is no definitive timetable at this point. Tennessee expects to have a powerhouse offense in 2021, and having its three-time Pro Bowler anchoring the blindside for the full season would be a major boost to the club’s championship aspirations.

Lewan signed a five-year, $80MM extension in July 2018, which positioned him as the highest-paid offensive lineman in NFL history at the time. He rewarded the Titans with a Pro Bowl effort that season, but due to the ACL tear and a PED suspension, he has played in just 17 of a possible 32 games over the past two years.

Contract Details: Tannehill, Saints, Ravens

June 12th, 2021 at 2:32pm CST by Sam Robinson

Here are the details from the latest contracts agreed to around the NFL:

  • Ryan Tannehill, QB (Titans): Tannehill’s restructured deal will pay out a $1.5MM base salary in 2021 and count $11.1MM against the cap, Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets. Those numbers jump back up beginning in 2022, with Tannehill set to earn a $29MM base salary and count $38.6MM against Tennessee’s cap. In 2023, Tannehill is due a $27MM base and will be a $36.6MM cap hit. The Titans used two void years (2024 and ’25) to help create more than $15MM in cap space.
  • Marshon Lattimore, CB (Saints): Four years, $120MM, according to Yates (on Twitter). Like New Orleans’ Taysom Hill deal, this contract is flush with void years and does not reflect true value. Lattimore’s fifth-year option ($10.2MM) will be spread onto the Saints’ 2021 and ’22 salary caps, with $2.841MM on this year’s cap and $7.403MM next year, according to OverTheCap. Lattimore remains under contract through 2021.
  • Gus Edwards, RB (Ravens): Two years, $10MM. Edwards will collect a $3.75MM signing bonus and earn base salaries of $1MM (2021), $3.25MM (’22) and $4.38MM (’23) on this extension, Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic notes (subscription required).
  • Ja’Wuan James, OT (Ravens): One year, up to $9MM. James will receive a $500K signing bonus but count just $250K toward Baltimore’s cap this year, Zrebiec adds. If James is on the Ravens’ roster on the fifth day of the 2022 league year, he will collect a $500K roster bonus. In that scenario, James’ 2022 base salary will be $2.5MM. He would then count $3.25MM against the Ravens’ 2022 cap. $5MM in incentives round out the deal.
  • De’Vondre Campbell, LB (Packers): One year, $2MM, per the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel’s Tom Silverstein (on Twitter). Campbell will receive a $1.1MM signing bonus and count $1.19MM against Green Bay’s 2021 cap. The Packers tacked on four void years, creating an $808K cap hit in 2022. The deal also contains $500K in playing-time incentives.

CB Johnathan Joseph Announces Retirement

June 10th, 2021 at 2:36pm CST by Sam Robinson

Johnathan Joseph enjoyed one of the longest careers among modern cornerbacks, lasting 15 seasons. The accomplished cover man announced (via Twitter) Thursday he will not attempt to play a 16th NFL campaign, choosing retirement instead.

A former Bengals first-round pick, Joseph spent most of his career in Cincinnati and Houston. However, he spent time in Tennessee and Arizona in his final season. Overall, Joseph played in 211 games and logged 192 starts during a career that included two Pro Bowls.

The South Carolina alum displayed a knack for finding the end zone during his career, intercepting 32 passes and taking seven back for touchdowns. Joseph, 37, will leave the game tied for seventh all time in pick-sixes — alongside Hall of Famers Ed Reed, Ty Law, Lem Barney and Herb Adderley. Joseph added a fumble return for a score in 2008. While Joseph will not end up in the Hall of Fame like his pick-six contemporaries, he was regarded as one of the NFL’s best corners for several seasons during his prime.

Joseph added two postseason interceptions, both coming in Texans wild-card wins over the Bengals. He played a key role in elevating Houston to those early-2010s January games, which doubled as the franchise’s initial playoff appearances. The 5-foot-11 defender made the Pro Bowl in those seasons. The Texans gave Joseph a five-year, $48.75MM contract in 2011. He performed well enough that the team extended him — on a three-year, $22MM deal — in the summer of 2015. Joseph ended up outlasting both A.J. Bouye and first-round pick Kevin Johnson in Houston; Johnson opted to retire this month as well.

With the Bengals in 2009, Joseph notched a career-high six INTs to help the franchise to the AFC North championship. Joseph signed with the Titans last year but could not help an overmatched defense much, though he did add one more INT to his career total. The Titans released him in November, but he caught on soon after with a familiar face. Johnathan Joseph concluded his career with the Cardinals, playing for former Texans secondary coach Vance Joseph.

Titans Restructure Ryan Tannehill’s Deal

June 8th, 2021 at 11:01am CST by Zachary Links

Ryan Tannehill has restructured his deal in order to welcome Julio Jones to Nashville (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport). The simple revision will provide the Titans with upwards of $15MM in cap space, allowing them to fit Jones’ $15.3M salary for 2021.

[RELATED: Titans GM Jon Robinson On Julio Jones Trade]

This was the expected move after Sunday’s trade hit the wire. In effect, everything will basically remain the same on Tannehill’s end. The quarterback is still signed through 2023, thanks to the four-year, $118MM extension he signed in 2020. The only real difference is that his $29.5MM cap hit will be reduced for 2021, with the balance being pushed into 2022. Next year’s cap increase should allow the Titans to take that in stride, though they can kick the can down the road again in ’22 by converting a chunk of those dollars into a signing bonus.

Ultimately, it was an easy call for Tannehill. Now, he’ll have a dynamic 1-2 punch at wide receiver with Jones lining up opposite of A.J. Brown. Meanwhile, the Titans still have ammo to build for the future — instead of a first-round pick, the Titans coughed up little more than a 2022 second-round choice.

Load More Posts