Tennessee Titans quarterback Ryan Tannehill is usually a polarizing topic of conversation amongst fans.
Half the fanbase appreciates the fact that Tannehill is statistically one of the greatest Titans quarterbacks ever, but another section of the fanbase mostly sees him as the main reason why the team has had a limited ceiling over the last few years.
Truthfully, to blame all of the Titans’ recent shortcomings on Tannehill would be unfair. Nonetheless, there is no denying that he does deserve his fair share of criticism, especially when you consider how much he is being paid at the most important position in football.
Since 2019, the Texas A&M product has earned approximately $101.4 million in cash earnings, the 10th most in the NFL over that span.
Top Cash Earning QBs since 2019
1. Russell Wilson, $164M
2. Kirk Cousins, $129M
3. Dak Prescott, $128.5M
4. Matthew Stafford, $122.5M
5. Tom Brady, $120.8M
6. Matt Ryan, $113M
7. Jared Goff, $111.3M
8. Carson Wentz, $106M
9. Aaron Rodgers, $101.5M
10. Ryan Tannehill, $101.4M— Spotrac (@spotrac) February 27, 2023
Obviously, if you’re paying someone that type of money, you would prefer for them to be more than just a slightly above-average game manager.
To make matters worse, the Titans restructured Tannehill’s deal a few years back, which helped create the massive $36.6 million cap hit he accounts for in 2023.
Again, there’s no arguing that Tannehill has been an integral piece of the Titans since 2019, but there is an argument for simply going younger and cheaper if this is the level of quarterback play the Titans will get.
And even more so when the team is in a position where they recently had to cut several high-profile players just to get back under the salary cap.
There is no telling how this offseason will go, but the Titans undoubtedly have several questions that will need to be answered relatively soon by general manager Ran Carthon.
