If the Tennessee Titans decide that 2023 is time for a new start, and decide to move on from Ryan Tannehill, they likely won’t have the chance to replace him with a first-round pick in the draft.
The Titans have the No. 11 pick, and chances are Bryce Young and C.J. Stroud, the top two prospects in the 2023 draft, will likely be long gone from the draft board by the time the Titans’ pick rolled around.
And the Titans likely won’t have the luxury of moving up in the draft for a top QB prospect since they traded away their fourth-round pick as part of the Julio Jones deal last year.
And, honestly, the team has too many other holes to fill on the offensive line, at wide receiver and cornerback to be spending high draft picks on a quarterback that might be talented but not ready to adjust to the pro game.
Besides, they already have a young project quarterback on the roster in Malik Willis, whose own future looks a bit uncertain now.
Based on his play, Willis is a long way from being ready to take over as a starter. There also is the possibility that a new general manager would prefer their own quarterback prospect, not the one inherited from Jon Robinson.
The team’s third option is the free agent market, which will be inundated with retreads with varying levels of success.
Available quarterbacks will likely include Baker Mayfield, Jimmy Garoppolo, Derek Carr, Geno Smith, Daniel Jones and Lamar Jackson.
A few of those – Jones, Smith and Jackson – might reach deals before they hit the market, but the others are decent options as bridge quarterbacks. Of course, you shouldn’t necessarily expect to hit the jackpot and find the next Patrick Mahomes in one of these QB’s, either. After all, with nearly every one of them, there is a reason they are headed to the free agent market.
Then, of course, there is the expectation that Tom Brady might be available. The Titans didn’t bite on him three years ago when many thought they would. And on Brady’s side of things, he probably wouldn’t be excited to throw passes to the Titans cast of receivers.
So if the Titans new general manager decides they want a clean slate at quarterback, there will be options.