Titans have a tough choice to make
The Tennessee Titans have to figure out the best way to rebound from an early exit from the 2020 postseason.
A key part of this offseason (like every offseason) is going to be figuring out what to do in free agency and how the Titans can make the most of their money in a year where everyone is pinching pennies.
The first option is going to be restructuring contracts and there should be a lot of optimism that the team can get a lot done with those restructures. In terms of flexible cap, I have said time and time again that the Titans are one of the teams with the most flexibility in their cap.
(Cap flexibility is just how much money in a contract isn’t guaranteed and can be regained by a cut or restructure)
One of the many positive side effects of the Indianapolis Colts trading for Carson Wentz is that the Titans now have the lowest “sunk cap” number in the AFC South, and they have the 3rd most flexibility of any team.
Two players with some of the most “flexible cap” space in their current contracts are Malcolm Butler and Adoree Jackson.
Everyone has talked at length about Malcolm Butler’s release saving the Titans $10.2 million, but no one is talking about Adoree Jackson’s contract.
As noted below, if the Titans decided to rescind Adoree Jackson’s 5th-year option, they would save $10.2 million.
Aside from the names repeatedly discussed as cap casualties (Butler, Vaccaro, Humphries), @DanGrazianoESPN notes the #Titans could still rescind CB Adoree Jackson’s fifth-year option, which would save $10.244 Million. pic.twitter.com/FlN1LKEqPX
— Tennessee Tyrant (@TitanUpTalk) February 18, 2021
Let me circle back to what I said earlier, restructures are going to be a tool that the Titans try to use as frequently as possible this offseason. So if a deal gets done where the players reduce their cap in 2021 for more guaranteed money this year and down the road, then everyone will be happy.
Ideally, the Titans sign Adoree Jackson to a multi-year deal with several injury clauses in it but more guaranteed money than the $10 million he would be owed next season.
The same thing goes with Malcolm Butler whose contract is now a 2 year/$28.5 million deal with only $4 million guaranteed. Giving him an extension that doubles his guaranteed money but reduces his cap hit in 2021, would make sense for everyone.
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However, the NFL isn’t a perfect place and these negotiations could go sideways. Will the Titans really want to lock down Adoree Jackson after missing 18 games over the last two seasons? Will Malcolm Butler be alright with a deal that looks smaller on paper even if he gets much more guaranteed money?
It is hard to answer those questions, but there is a scenario where neither player accepts a pay change and the Titans have to make a tough decision.
I think the smart decision for 2021 would be to keep Malcolm Butler and release Adoree Jackson. Even though that does make you slower in the secondary, Butler has been the Titans most effective defensive back over the last two years and you would be making a bet against what history has shown you if you kept Jackson over Butler.
A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush, but even knowing that it would be hard to see a young cornerback like Adoree Jackson leave after such a promising stretch from 2018-2019 when he was healthy.
There is no right answer here, but it is just unacceptable to spend so much money on a group of cornerbacks who were (in some part) responsible for the worst third-down defense in NFL history. One way or another they can’t be on the hook for the full $25 million that these two account for in 2021 based on the results the Titans got last year.
Something has to change.