The Tennessee Titans entered the 2022 offseason with a problem at the quarterback position after Ryan Tannehill’s debacle in the 2021 playoff loss to the Cincinnati Bengals.
Tannehill’s three picks doomed the Titans, leading to their being one-and-done in the playoffs once again. The contest was a microcosm of the team’s issues, as Tannehill struggled with turnovers and ineffectiveness all season.
In the span of three years, Tannehill has gone from franchise savior to a player fans are ready to run out of town thanks to his inability to lead Tennessee to a Super Bowl.
And it appears the Titans were willing to move on this offseason, also, as the team reportedly explored trades for some big-name quarterbacks, including Aaron Rodgers and Deshaun Watson.
Unfortunately, none of Tennessee’s attempts to replace Tannehill worked out, but they did make an interesting move by drafting Malik Willis in the third round, which will start the clock on Tannehill’s inevitable departure.
With training camp less than four weeks away, we’re taking a closer look at the quarterback position to see where things stand right now and how the position will shake out in 2022.
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Ryan Tannehill
Malik Willis
There are two different scenarios for the Titans at quarterback going into 2022: they either keep two or three; however, there is no world in which Willis isn’t one of them.
He’s the future after Tannehill, and the only question right now is if he can do enough to secure the backup job over Logan Woodside in 2022.
Syndication: The Tennessean
Logan Woodside
Woodside has managed to stick with the Titans the past few years, much to the chagrin of fans who want a more experienced backup. He has a great shot to make the roster once again in 2022, especially if Tennessee’s doesn’t add another veteran signal-caller.
Syndication: The Tennessean
Tannehill is safe… for now
Despite a disastrous 2021 campaign for Tannehill, there is no quarterback controversy in Tennessee this offseason. The embattled veteran remains Tennessee’s starter for at least one more year.
However, after 2022, all bets are off, as Tannehill carries a reasonable dead-cap charge of $9.6 million in 2023 if cut with a post-June 1 designation.
The backup competition
As things stand now, the only competition at quarterback is for the backup job.
Before the Titans can move on from Tannehill, they’ll need Willis to prove he has what it takes to take the reins in 2023. His first test will be passing Woodside on the depth chart this offseason.
Willis’ skill set is vastly superior to Woodside’s, so it’s certainly possible he wins the job, and doing so would be a good sign that he’s moving in the direction of being ready for 2023.
But Woodside should be considered the favorite here. Willis will likely need at least one year to develop and the Titans don’t want him an injury away from seeing the field before he’s ready.
AP Photo/Mark Humphrey
Making the cut: Ryan Tannehill, Logan Woodside, Malik Willis
Until we see Willis really pulling away from Woodside in training camp, we project the Titans will carry three quarterbacks.
Woodside will serve as the primary backup to Tannehill, making it unlikely Willis sees the field barring something catastrophic. The most we’ll see of Willis in 2022 is during the preseason, with an outside chance he gets a package of plays on offense during the regular season.
The sky is the limit for Willis, but the Titans have to make sure they don’t do anything to hurt his confidence in his first season. Let him sit, develop, and then evaluate where he is in 2023 before letting Tannehill go.