Evaluating the Future Each Contract Year Player Has With the Tennessee Titans
By Max Dambach
Likely to Be Re-Signed
These players might not be locks to earn a new contract with the Titans next offseason, but as of now, it appears that the Titans would be highly motivated to bring these players back for the 2019 season. However, the possibility exists that new additions or developing talent already on the roster might make these players expendable, which is why they aren’t listed under the “locks” sections.
WR Rishard Matthews: Matthews has been the most consistent Titans wide receiver in years after the team took a flyer on the former Dolphins seventh rounder following the 2015 season. Although Matthews is more likely a WR2 type, the team’s poor WR corps forced him to assume a WR1 role during his two years in Nashville. The Titans are hoping that Corey Davis can assume the role of WR1 in his second season and that one or both of Tajae Sharpe and Taywan Taylor will develop into capable complementary receivers. Even in that best case scenario, the team could still use an experienced veteran pass catcher like Matthews to serve as a safety blanket for Mariota. In a year with big ticket WRs like Stefon Diggs, Odell Beckham Jr., Brandin Cooks, Tyrell Williams, and Kelvin Benjamin, as well as enticing reclamation projects like Kevin White and Breshad Perriman, the Titans may be able to quietly re-sign Matthews to an affordable deal as other receiver-needy teams look elsewhere.
DE David King: Although King only managed three tackles and one sack for the Titans in 2017, Jon Robinson obviously saw something he liked in the former 7th round defensive end when he acquired King via trade with the Kansas City Chiefs early in the season and later re-signed him to a one-year deal. Trading for and re-signing King shows that the Titans believe he has potential. For this reason, I figure the Titans will likely keep King around in 2019 for depth.
TE Phillip Supernaw: Supernaw has been a valuable special teams player and fan favorite for the Tennessee Titans. He has never been much of a receiving threat on offense (though he scored a touchdown from Matt Cassel in 2017!), but his special teams ability and cheap cost make him the type of player that manages to stick on a roster for years.