There have been a handful of big names around the NFL who have demanded a trade during the offseason. At this point, it would not be surprising if a few more emerge between now and the trade deadline.
Bleacher Report’s Alex Kay believes that Ryan Tannehill of the Tennessee Titans could be the next man up.
AFC South: Could Ryan Tannehill Be Next Player to Demand Trade?
Tannehill just turned 35 this summer, and it goes without saying that the former Pro Bowl quarterback isn’t getting any younger. He is still expected to start for the Titans this year as Tennessee looks to re-establish itself as a dominant force in the AFC South.
However, Kay points out that Tannehill’s “leash could be shorter than ever.” This is thanks in large part to the rise of incoming second-year QB Malik Willis, who appears to have firmly established himself as Tennessee’s QB2 behind Tannehill. It would not be surprising, though, if Willis ends up overtaking the veteran quarterback at some point in the season, especially if Tannehill is unable to bounce back from his rather forgettable campaign last term. After all, the Titans did use their third-round pick on Willis last year, so you would expect them to try and get some return on their investment sooner rather than later.
According to Kay, it would be at this point when Tannehill should realize that his time in Tennessee has come to an end:
“Should Tannehill end up getting yanked—which is a possibility if he continues to decline, even after the team invested in star wideout DeAndre Hopkins to bolster the passing attack—it’s time for him to ask for a trade. His ideal landing spot would be with a surprise contender that needs a proven veteran to make a playoff push or a veteran-laden squad that lost its starter to injury,” Kay wrote.
Ryan Tannehill still has enough gas left in the tank to help a contending team. There’s no denying that he is no longer the star quarterback he once was, but if he lands in a perfect situation then you could actually see the former Texas A&M standout leading his team to the postseason in 2023. Unfortunately for him, it just doesn’t seem like that team is going to be the Tennessee Titans.
