The Tennessee Titans enter the 2022 offseason with a big decision to make on outside linebacker Harold Landry, who is set to hit the free-agent market.
Landry tallied a team-high 12 sacks in 2021, which was also a career-high for him. The Boston College product played a huge role in the team’s defensive revival.
The 25-year-old has made it clear on multiple occasions that he wants to stay in Nashville, and it appears both sides are interested in making that happen after a December article from Dan Pompeo of The Athletic revealed Landry and the Titans have already discussed a contract extension.
So, what would a contract extension for Landry look like? Spotrac estimates Landry will garner a four-year deal worth $17.1 million annually, and we think that’s right on the money, pun intended.
A recent report from Buck Reising of AtoZ Sports Nashville revealed that Landry wants to be the highest-paid player at the position on the team, a status currently owned by fellow outside linebacker, Bud Dupree.
Dupree netted a five-year, $82.5 million deal from the Titans last offseason, which works out to $16.5 million annually.
If Tennessee gives Landry what he reportedly wants, then his annual average in a new deal will likely fall around $17 million, and a four-year deal at that average would work out to $68 million in total.
While we’re totally fine with such a contract, the Titans should be looking to make Landry’s 2022 cap hit as friendly as possible with the team having limited funds to spare.
Like they did with Dupree, the Titans could lower the first-year cap hit by backloading the remaining three years of his deal, something we’d assume Landry would be fine with.
If the Titans aren’t sold on Landry’s 12-sack season just yet or have an issue locking him up right away, they also have the option of using the franchise tag to buy more time.
However, the tag will cost around $17.4 million in 2022, thus it would be more expensive than the contract we project for him, and that’s especially true if Tennessee were to backload Landry’s new deal. Of course, such a scenario wouldn’t be ideal for a cash-strapped team like the Titans.
One way or the other, we expect Landry to be back in the two-tone blue in 2022, and a contract extension is the best avenue to do that thanks to Tennessee’s current financial status.
