The Tennessee Titans have officially removed themselves from the Tom Brady sweepstakes.
Numerous recent reports have indicated that the Titans were making a Ryan Tannehill extension their top priority this offseason, and Ian Rapoport of NFL Media was the first to report on Sunday that Tennessee has signed Tannehill to a long-term deal. ESPN’s Jeff Darlington reports that the contract is worth $118 million with $62 million guaranteed.
The Titans will now likely use the franchise tag on star running back Derrick Henry, who is also scheduled to become a free agent.
Tannehill had an excellent season after the Titans acquired him in a trade with the Miami Dolphins last year, and his steady play was arguably the biggest factor in the team’s deep postseason run. You could make the argument that Brady would give Tennessee a better chance to win the Super Bowl in 2020, but they obviously believe in Tannehill and are thinking long-term.
The Titans were seen as a natural fit for Brady since they’re a playoff team and are coached by Brady’s former teammate Mike Vrabel, but the market for Brady is now smaller. Perhaps there is something to the talk that Brady’s market may not be as robust as he hoped it would be.
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