How I'd Handle the Titans' Cap Sitution
The Titans are in the hole financially in 2023. Here's how I get them out of it and set a positive plan in motion for the future.
Good day fellow two-tone fiend. Regardless of if you chose to read this cause like my stuff or just can’t avoid the temptation since we’ll be talking about the Kelce brothers for the next couple weeks - we’re both here and I appreciate you checking this out. Of all the topics we could beat like a dead horse, I am finding some intrigue with this one. Why? Cause I’m a type 8 and I find safety in the black and white of these numbers and figures, lol, but honestly - I don’t think the Titans are in that bad of a spot. Could they willfully choose to go full rebuild? Sure. Anything is possible when AJ Brown gets traded, but at the end of the day.. I am shooting for a resolution with the Titans cap that positions them to be competitive in 2023 and set them up for a run in 2024 and beyond.
“Restructure Them!”
Hold on. Before we start - I am not playing Madden here. I am going to base my decisions off what I realistically think the Titans and a player could agree to when it comes to restructure. You can’t restructure every player, like Lewan, cause he no longer has years on his deal. What you’re doing with a restructure is essentially moving money around to other remaining years. The player is still going to get that cash, but it just delays it. Jon Robinson got good at back loading and restructuring deals, however the risk you run is when the time to pay the piper and it all hits at once - which is where we find ourselves with some players.
Here are two players that I see as possible candidates for restructure:
Kevin Byard:
The Mayor of Murfreesboro is due to make over $19.6M in 2023. For me, even after a late season surge where KB31 played fantastic, I think $19.6M is high. That’s why I think the Titans and Byard are both naturally aware that a conversation should be had. Byard has two void years in 2025 and 2026 when Byard will be 32 and 33 years old, respectively, that you could spread some of that $19.6M over and ease the blow in 2023. According to Spotrac, if a restructure was agreed to, the Titans could save roughly $6.2M in 2023 and would then pay Byard $13.4M.
Likelihood:
I think this one is something the Titans should pursue. Byard wants to retire a Titan and this allows him to add (financially) valuable years into his early 30’s where he is able to ride off into the sunset. The Titans have been good to Byard and Byard has been loyal to hold up his end of the deal. The great relationship makes me think this is very much possible for both sides to agree to this without much issue.
Harold Landry:
I’ll be short and sweet here - at first glance, I think this one is a reach for Landry to even consider but if the Titans played it right - we could see some money freed up. He played his ball in 2021 and got his bag but went down with the ACL injury in 2022. Now in 2023, he is due $18.8M and I think the Titans could make an easy sell to simply add more money. However, Landry’s deal is laid out where he’s making nearly the same amount from here till 2026. He’ll make an average of just over $21M annually so there isn’t much room to free up cash right now - from what I’m seeing.
Likelihood:
Lloyd Christmas’ chance with Mary Swanson type of likelihood.
“Movin’ On and Gettin’ Over”
This section seems fairly simple for me. Here are the moves that put the Titans back in the positive and make some sound financial moves. Couple notes here, cap hit and dead money are terms that are confusing. This is basically the total of what they are due but it’s broken down into what they get and what the team saves. I’ll do my best to break down with each player but if I get anything wrong - just hit my up at @TresWinn or Comment below and I can correct.
Taylor Lewan
The Boy is due $14.4M in 2023. He carries no dead cap since he’s fulfilled his guaranteed amount in his contract so this move is pretty clear to be the best for both sides.
In a long shot of a deal, which I think legit won’t happen, but if the Titans and Lewan agreed to a new deal (restructure isn’t an option cause there are no more years on his deal left) then I could see them going around the $8M AAV number.
Money saved: $14.4M
Zach Cunningham
Let’s be real. Appreciate what ya did, but Cunningham has a cavalier demeanor that is pretty easily connected to Mike Vrabel’s “8-4” comment. Cunningham is set to make $13.4M in 2023 which I think all agree is way over value for what we got out of him when he was able to go. At times he looked similar to Rashaan Evans and over pursuing like a banshee. It’s interesting to see how he’s due to make $13.4M but if you look at the deal, it’s very much in line with others that Jon Robinson built. Call it the “JRob Special: Cheap in the front and heavy in the back.” Unlike the success that the Mullet has had with it’s, “business in the front and party in the back” slogan - the JRob special didn’t land so well. Could they restructure? Yes, but it’s only putting off more money till the future. If they can’t find a way to bring David Long Jr. back and they choose to get faster at ILB by parting ways with Cunningham; the Titans could be in a bad spot with the LB position.
Money saved: $8.9M
Robert Woods
“Bobby Trees” they called him. He’ll be like a breeze on a spring day at Centennial Park when he comes and goes through Nashville. When you carry a price tag of $14.6M for this next year and you only have $2.6M in dead cap - you’re as good as gone. Yeah, some will say Woods never got a fair shake with Todd Downing at OC, Tannehill banged up, and limited help with the WR Group. I will agree, but that’s the NFL. Looking at this deal overall just shows how desperate Jon Robinson was to find help at WR during FA in the 2022 Offseason. This deal confuses me cause you’re willing to bring in a (at the time) a 30 year old WR with a cheap year one deal and then you’re at $16M for his AAV throughout his time with the Titans. Make it make sense, Jon! You’re going to trade AJ cause he wanted $25M AAV but you’re going to pay Woods what you gave him and pray to God that Burks is the answer. That, my friends, is what you call a terrible wager. We knew what AJ was. We knew he’d be in a Super Bowl with the Eagles and we should’ve taken off the Columbia blue lenses and allowed reality to set in that we knew Jon Robinson had become a bad bettor. This move, to cut Woods, feels like more of a parting with the past than it is the player. I do think Woods has good football left in him, but this deal is nightmare which is why I think he is as good as gone.
Money saved: $12M
Bud Dupree
Look.. I think we’d have to spend some time convincing someone why they should keep Bud around, aside from the money matters. Dupree is due $20.2M in 2023 and that makes me cringe to think the Titans allowed Mariota to sit for near the same in his final season with the Titans, now that we’re pinching pennies. You save $9.3M in cap space, but take on a dead hit of $10.8M, but that very much seems worth it to me. Here is why:
Bud Dupree isn’t the guy you give $20M to cause he isn’t the guy on the field that’s taking more attention, double teams, and allowing the other players on the defense to succeed. That man is #98 Jeffrey Simmons and we already see the likes of Rashad Weaver, Mario Edwards, and DeMarcus Walker making an impact when on the field. We know the Titans are collecting all their monies to throw at Simmons and this is just the right move for them here and now and the long term.
Money saved: $9.3M
Financial Update
So if all these moves are made the way I want it to go, the Titans would be sitting at $23,163,699 in cap space after starting at $-28,187,933. Pretty positive swing with a few moves, and I - as the hypotherical Ran Carthon for this scenario - am not done yet.
The Debatable Group
Here is the part of the show where we may differ. However, maybe you’ll agree with me or you could very well wish me death and hope my house burns down like Valentino Blake did via Twitter, but regardless - just hear me out before you react. Let’s get started:
Ryan Tannehill
Some Titans fans are desperate to figure out the QB position thinking it’ll fix all issues with the lame excuse for an offensive unit that we saw in 2022. So many angles, variables, reasons, and right now - none of it matters anymore. The one thing we have to look into regarding the QB spot is that the Head Coach wants Ryan Tannehill back and as healthy as possible. We also learned that Ran Carthon wants to further evaluate the roster, QB position in particular, and see where we want to go. Ryan Tannehill is due $36.6M in 2023 and I for one thing he should be the Titans starter. However, if I were to do one thing, after much consideration in this hypothetical reality, I landed here:
Look.. the only reason I would stretch for this was cause I hit send about 2 hours before they announced Brock Purdy’s UCL tear that’ll have him out for 6 months, but the more people talk about Tom Brady’s future - the more I could see poetic ending for him in San Fran. Most reports have Lance valued at a 3rd Rounder, having addressed the fact that the Niners aren’t going to recoup what they gave to move up and get Lance.
“Lance sucks! Why go for him..”
Lance is a highly talented QB that is currently 22 and for me - I don’t see a realistic route for the Titans to move up in the draft to take Stroud, Levis, Young, or even Richardson. They don’t have a 4th rounder and they need all the draft capital they can get. If they traded down from 11, got more picks to address OL and WR needs - that 3rd pick isn’t going to give you a starter right now anyway. What is the risk? If, again hypothetically, the Niner’s free up Jimmy G, Lance, and sign Brady and have Purdy waiting in the wings - they’re set. They gave up the draft picks for Lance and they struck gold with Purdy. I don’t know how easy is it to come back from a torn ligament in the elbow but signing Brady gives them to the time to see if Purdy is good to go or find a guy that you can get in the future. Sure, Lance is coming back from Injury but please let’s not act like guys don’t come back and play well.
Again, its not a real scenario and it’s a stretch, but if the Titans wanted to move on and evolve into a modern day pass heavy offense - Lance gives you the ability to do that now and going into the future where you cap situation is heavenly in 2024 and beyond.
If the Titans wanted to move on from Tannehill it would save them $17.8M in cap space but carries the dead hit of $18.8M. In total, continuing the other mvoes in this post, that would move the Titans to $40.9M in freed up cap space and in total they would have saved just over $69M with these moves. Let’s continue.
Derrick Henry
Say what you will about me. “Derrick Henry Hater” is not one of my titles. We all love this RB. He is a freak, incredible human, and he’s lowkey funny as hell from what I’ve seen on Bussin’ with the Boys and other media appearances. With that said, let me tell you why I’d cut ties with the King.
Evolve The Offense
I will say, I’ve enjoyed the run with Henry. However, if Henry isn’t working - then the offense is as stagnant as a swamp pond. Henry is aging, he’s due to make $16.3M next year and I honestly think that number makes me cringe. Christian McCaffery is the only back in the league worth that amount cause he can run, catch, line up in the slot - hell he could field PR and KR for you and do well at it, too; but Henry can do one of those things. Henry is a runner. He’s a two down back and yes, he will rack up all the YAC cards he can, but if it’s more of the cool stiff arms you want - then sure go for it, but if you want to see the Titans with an offense that puts your butt in the seat, at the stadium, then it’s time to evolve.
The Titans could save $7.3M in cap space and would be taking on a dead hit of $9M. I’m at a point where, even with Tannehill, you find a stable of RB’s to run the ball - just like all the teams in the playoffs do, fix the OL, and get a good play caller.. then you have an offense that can cook in 2023. The Titans do not have to have Henry, and even if they wanted to save all of his contract - they could easily ship Henry off the a team like the Buffalo Bills for a mid round back. We have to stop thinking of this team as married to it’s players. We all moved on from McNair and George when it was time, and to me - Henry’s time is up.
If they made this move along with the others in this post the Titans would’ve feed up over $48M in cap space.
Last but not least
Ben Jones
I’ll keep it short. If Jones chooses to play - you won’t find a better center for the $4M you’d eat by cutting him. Either keep him or let him walk, but I just wanted to address this cause I’ve seen some saying they should cut him.
Bottom Line
Total saved: $76M
Cap Space: $48M (NFL average around $50M)
That is how I’d handle the Titans cap situation. For more info, check out ChattTenn Sports here! Be sure to check out the Youtube, listen to the pod, and subscribe to the substack!