Before 2021 I was chugging on the Ryan Tannehill Hype Train. I still believed Derrick Henry was the key to Tennessee’s success, but I saw far too many people claiming Tannehill was a bum. He had done nothing to prove he was unfit to compete in the AFC. He had beaten Lamar Jackson and Tom Brady in the playoffs just a year earlier, and his numbers as a Tennessee starter were incredible. Now, in 2022, my tone has changed.
While I don’t think Tannehill is a bum, I don’t blame fans for thinking the Titans’ offense is limited with Tannehill under center. Although the Titans were No. 1 in the AFC, Tannehill didn’t do well last year, to the point where even I seriously wondered whether or not the team would be better served with a trade for Aaron Rodgers or Russell Wilson. I wasn’t the only one who thought that. Rumors surfaced that the Titans were in the quarterback market. Despite it all, Titans GM Jon Robinson made it clear that Tannehill still “her guy.”
As a strong Tannehill defender, I was skeptical. Anytime a GM or head coach has to publicly state that “(insert QB’s name here) is our man,” it usually doesn’t happen at the same time the following year. Of course there was the famous “Josh Rosen is our man” statement by Kliff Kingsbury while all the Kyler Murray rumors were floating around. Wouldn’t you know, Rosen wasn’t the “type” of cardinals. Robinson even has a story about it. Ahead of the 2019 season, he told reporters Marcus Mariota was the guy… he was substituted in the middle of their matchup against Denver in Week 6. Now the same statement is being made about Tannehill?
To make Tannehill’s future even more bleak, the Titans have quietly revealed themselves to Pro Day for all notable quarterbacks. Malik Willis?
Matt Korral?
Kenny Pickett?
Desmond Rider?
Sam Howell?
All. Of. She.
And the Titans didn’t just send anyone. They sent in offensive coordinator Todd Downing (who is perhaps a more important reason why Tannehill was not good last year, but that is beside the point). They sent in quarterbacks coach Pat O’Hara. They sent head coach Mike Vrabel. They send the important people to check out these quarterbacks. This is not a team that is happy with its current “guy”.
I understand that some people have put out their mock drafts assuming the Titans will pick a quarterback this year at 26, but this opportunities The Titans first-round draft quarterback is still listed at 15-to-1 — the third-lowest odds of any position (tight end: 40-to-1 and running back: 100-to-1). Given what I said earlier in this article, I find those odds shockingly slim. The Titans have no second-round picks and each of the notable quarterbacks is likely to be picked up by the third round.
I expect Tannehill to be the starter of week one of the titans next season. However, I also expect his leash to be very short, especially if Tennessee drafts a quarterback in the first round; and every day that looks more and more like a possibility.
