Kevin Byard extension
One of the more important tasks for the Tennessee Titans, whether it happen this year or next, is to extend safety Kevin Byard to a long-term deal. Byard, 25, has emerged as arguably the best safety in the NFL and will be in for a big payday.
It remains to be seen if Byard will take some kind of a hometown discount, but chances are he’ll command a hefty sum of money. The two top-paid safeties in the NFL, Kansas City Chiefs’ Tyrann Mathieu and Washington Redskins’ Landon Collins, both make $14 million annually in their contracts.
With that market value set, Byard will command that, and quite possibly more considering he’s better than both of those players. If the Titans are smart, they’ll take care of Byard the moment he reports to camp, or sometime shortly thereafeter.
Letting Byard hit the open market next offseason would be a mistake. There are several teams in the league who would be interested in the services of the best player at his position in the game, and a bidding war is the last thing the Titans need.
Byard is the heart and soul of this young core of players, and the idea of letting him go in any fashion is unfathomable. It’s time to lock up the Titans’ best player on defense before things get difficult or messy.