Three potential landing spots for Titans QB Ryan Tannehill

During Monday’s pre-draft news conference, first-year Tennessee Titans general manager Ran Carthon refused to acknowledge a report from ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler that quarterback Ryan Tannehill could potentially be available via trade.

While Carthon hasn’t exactly given Tannehill a ringing endorsement as Tennessee’s starting QB in 2023 either, many believe the Titans are contemplating moving on from Tannehill and honing in on a future franchise quarterback in the first round of the 2023 draft.

If Tannehill is indeed available, here are three potential trade destinations that make sense:

Atlanta Falcons

Yes, the Falcons did sign Taylor Heinicke to a two-year, $14M contract in free agency. But a Heinicke-for-Tannehill swap makes a lot of sense. Tannehill was at his best in Arthur Smith’s offense in Tennessee, and newly acquired tight end Jonnu Smith had his best season when Tannehill was his QB. If there’s a coach that can get the most out of a soon-to-be 35-year-old Tannehill, it’s Smith.

With Desmond Ridder already tabbed as the season-opening starter, Tannehill would provide a great insurance plan if the second-year QB struggles or the Falcons start stacking losses. The potential is there for Tannehill to be far more productive throwing to Drake London, Mack Hollins, Kyle Pitts and Smith than he was in Tennessee in 2022.

Green Bay Packers

Danny Etling is the only other quarterback the Packers have under contract in 2023 behind Jordan Love, so it would behoove them to add a veteran with starting experience in case the Love experiment goes sideways.

Though he’s no Aaron Rodgers, Tannehill would be a strong mentor for the 24-year-old former first-round pick, and he came from a system similar to the one run by head coach Matt LaFleur, who spent a year as the Titans offensive coordinator pre-Tannehill.

Washington Commanders

Although the Commanders are on the record stating they’re “comfortable” with both Sam Howell and Jacoby Brissett, the former is a 22-year-old with one career start and the latter is a 30-year-old journeyman who’s won just 37.5 percent of his games as a starter.

Tannehill is older, sure, but he’s won 65.5 percent of his starts with the Titans and he’s been to a Pro Bowl. With a roster that went 8-8-1 last year while rotating Howell, Heinicke and Carson Wentz under center, Washington doesn’t need Tannehill to be who he was in 2019, it can compete with him as is. And if Tannehill ends up being underwhelming, well, there’s always next year’s draft that boasts Caleb Williams and Drake Maye.