Titans deal with Ryan Tannehill looks smarter after Mahomes blockbuster

So why the big deal?

At the time, people were…dumb sounds too strong…less than smart? About what the market value for Ryan Tannehill would be and what the future looked like if the Titans gave him the franchise tag.

Statements like this were made after Tannehill deal:

"Tannehill’s career prior to his arrival in Tennessee showed that he’s an average starter at best. Unfortunately for Titans fans, they’re paying him like he’s one of the best."

I will talk about what the new “average” expectation should be for Tannehill a little later, but let’s talk about the “paying him like he’s one of the best” part of that quote.

Since this deal was signed, two things have happened that most people could see coming.

-Patrick Mahomes obviously signed his deal.

-Dak Prescott signed his franchise tag which is just a place holder for the next huge QB deal that is coming.

On top of that, we all know that Lamar Jackson is a season away from his huge contract as well. And the reason those things matter is because every new contract that gets signed, moves the goalposts on what constitutes a “big” deal for QBs.

Right now, Ryan Tannehill is the 9th highest paid QB in the NFL in terms of average annual value. But, if the Titans had given him the franchise tag and then waited until Mahomes, Prescott, Jackson, and let’s thrown in Baker Mayfield had all signed their new deals, then you are probably looking at a contract worth $35 million per season instead of $29.5 million.