Ryan Tannehill will likely outlast another Indianapolis Colts QB
By Will Lomas
Ryan Tannehill struggled in the Tennessee Titans playoff game this season, and fans are having a hard time realizing that there is a difference between this playoff loss and past playoff losses.
However, right across the division in Indianapolis, there is a situation taking place that should remind fans just how bad it can be when you overpay for a bad quarterback just because you are hoping that they will earn their price tag.
While Colts GM Chris Ballard has many advocates in the media that will sweep this under the rug or find someone else to blame, the fact is that trading a 1st and a 3rd round pick for the opportunity to pay a bad quarterback, was never going to work out.
Reports have come out ahead of the Super Bowl that the Indianapolis Colts are “probably” going to trade or (much more likely) release QB Carson Wentz.
There's a belief that #Colts QB Carson Wentz will "'probably" be traded or released before March 19th, per @mortreport. That's when $15M in base salary becomes guaranteed. His future in Indianapolis looks "bleak."
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) February 13, 2022
If this is true, think about where the Indianapolis Colts are as a franchise. Since Ballard took over the GM position in 2017 the Colts opening day starters at quarterback have been:
2017: Jacoby Brissett
2018: Andrew Luck
2019: Jacoby Brissett (on a new, big deal)
2020: Philip Rivers (a big free agent signing)
2021: Carson Wentz (who he traded a 1st and a 3rd for)
Ballard has been given more opportunities than most GMs to swing for a new quarterback, only to waste assets on a bad mediocre quarterback that proceeds to have a disappointing season.
Ryan Tannehill is better than almost any other outcome at QB
Tennessee Titans fans should enjoy the success that they are having right now and that they are consistently proving to be the best team in the AFC South by a wide margin. However, it is almost important to use this as a cautionary tale about Ryan Tannehill.
Even if you are upset that he didn’t perform better in the playoffs this year, people who don’t just look at the box score can tell you that the two playoff losses before that had very little to do with mistakes that Ryan Tannehill made.
The grass is not always greener on the other side and the Colts figured that out while wasting the primes of Anthony Costanzo, T.Y. Hilton, Ryan Kelly, Denico Autry, and there is no guarantee that they will figure it out before Jonathan Taylor has had his best seasons.
If you don’t like Ryan Tannehill and think the Titans can do better, that is great, and there is a very very small chance that you are right. However, right now the Tennessee Titans have a team that can win the 1-seed in the AFC and if they can combine the 2020 offense and the 2021 defense, they will have a great shot at a Super Bowl title.
Instead of daydreaming about finding a Hall of Fame QB just lying around, Tennessee Titans fans should be advocating for the team to build the best supporting cast in the NFL to make this offense too talented to fail.
That all disappears the second they make a change at the most important position on the field.
Be careful what you wish for.