An NFL quarterback with experience might end up with the New York Jets.
Ryan Tannehill should demand his release from the Tennessee Titans so he can push his way onto a new team, according to CBS Sports Radio presenter Zach Gelb. The green and white is one of the teams Gelb proposed as a potential contender.
“He [Tannehill] should go to the front office and he should go to Mike Vrabel and say guys you know; I’ve been a good soldier here and I know you guys paid me. I haven’t put up a fuss here about getting benched. Even though no one likes to get benched. You’re not going to play me, you have Malik Willis in front of me, I know Will Levis is this team’s starter for the rest of the year. They should grant him his release. He should ask for his release,” Gelb argued.
“He is better than the other options right now that you have in New York with the Jets with the crappy quarterback in Zach Wilson. So, Ryan Tannehill be selfish here. Think about yourself and demand and implore Tennessee to release you because you could go walk into a playoff situation because you don’t have one in Tennessee right now.”
Ryan Tannehill needs to be selfish and force his way to the Bengals, Browns or Jets. @CBSSportsRadio pic.twitter.com/HfgpgVAu1O
— Zach Gelb (@ZachGelb) November 17, 2023
Tannehill Got Benched by Titans, Tennessee Tenure Likely Over
Tannehill is 35 years of age and is in the last year of his $118 million contract. The former Texas A&M product will be an unrestricted free agent in 2024.
On Tuesday, November 7 the Titans announced that Levis, “will take over as the full-time starting quarterback for the rest of the season.”
With Tannehill buried on the depth chart, on an expiring deal, and the team seemingly moving in a different direction it could make sense to simply rip the band-aid off and release him.
Former sports agent and cap expert, Joel Corry, explained that another team would need $10.5 million in available salary cap space to “claim” Tannehill off of waivers if he were to be released by the Titans.
$10.5M of salary cap space (7/18ths of $27M base salary) is needed to claim Ryan Tannehill through waivers if released next week. The Browns are the only team with a QB need in a position to take on Tannehill's remaining $10.5M salary without any salary cap maneuvers. https://t.co/shag0ybeg6
— Joel Corry (@corryjoel) November 16, 2023
In a follow up conversation, Corry said he’d suspect that the Jets “would wait to see if Ryan Tannehill clears waivers & try to sign him then so there wouldn’t be a need to restructure any contracts.”
Although if they needed to create cap room he said linebacker CJ Mosley’s contract is “easily the largest on the Jets” and the one that could be altered.
I was told by Jeremy Fowler of ESPN on “Boy Green Daily” back in August that the Jets and Mosley’s camp had conversations about reworking his contract, but nothing ever happened.
Jets Have a Need and Connective Tissue With Tannehill
To put it lightly, the Jets have had an uneven quarterback situation since Aaron Rodgers tore his Achilles back in Week 1.
The green and white has only scored eight touchdowns through the first nine games of the 2023 season.
If the Jets had just average quarterback play this season there is a real belief that they’d be one of the top teams in the AFC conference.
Restructure C.J Mosley's contract since his $17M base salary is easily the largest on the Jets. I suspect the Jets would wait to see if Ryan Tannehill clears waivers & try to sign him then so there wouldn't be a need to restructure any contracts. https://t.co/kUW1xAaEqC
— Joel Corry (@corryjoel) November 16, 2023
Admittingly Tannehill hasn’t played well this season. He has only completed 62 percent of his passes, he has two touchdowns to six interceptions, and has 1,128 passing yards across six games.
Although he has a long track record of success that includes a Pro Bowl campaign. During his 12-year career, Tannehill owns a 214 touchdown to 114 interception ratio, has completed 64.2 percent of his passes, and has thrown for over 34, 393 passing yards.
The Jets’ passing game coordinator, Todd Downing, crossed over with Tannehill for four seasons with the Titans from 2019 through 2022.
If Tannehill shook free from the Titans, the Jets would be an extremely attractive destination for the veteran passer.
Paul A. Esden Jr. covers the New York Jets for Heavy.com. A New York native, he is also the official PA voice of the Syracuse Strong Football Club and co-hosts Cumulus Media’s morning show, “The Manchild Show with Boy Green.” Before joining Heavy in 2021, Esden Jr. covered both national and New York sports for FanSided, Elite Sports NY and The Score 1260. More about Paul A. Esden Jr.
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