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Newly hired Tennessee Titans general manager Ran Carthon said he plans to take time evaluating the quarterback position before making a decision, specifically in relation to injured veteran starter Ryan Tannehill's future with the franchise.
"I don't think that's fair at this point," Carthon said during his introductory press conference in Nashville on Friday (January 20) via ESPN Titans beat reporter Turron Davenport. "We're still evaluating the roster. Ryan has been great here. He's won a lot of football games. I look forward to us winning football games. But I still need more time to evaluate and make those decisions."
Tannehill, 35, has one year remaining on his four-year, $118 million deal signed in 2020 and missed the Titans' final five games due to an ankle injury. Tennessee currently has an estimated $4.4 million in cap space, according to Roster Management, which could improve based on restructured contracts or veteran cuts this offseason.
Tannehill's current contract brings a $36.6 million cap him and cutting him would free up $18 million in cap space. The former Texas A&M standout went 6-6 as a starter and threw for 2,536 yards, 13 touchdowns and six interceptions on 212 of 325 passing, while also recording 98 yards and two touchdowns on 34 attempts in 2022.
Rookie quarterback Malik Willis struggled in three starts, posting a 1-2 record and throwing for just 276 yards and three touchdowns on 31 of 61 passing. Former University of Tennessee star Joshua Dobbs took over in the Titans' final two games and showed promise, despite losses to the Dallas Cowboys and Jacksonville Jaguars.