Top 3 Tennessee Titans to receive outrageously inflated salaries in 2023
The Tennessee Titans are in very bad shape when it comes to the 2023 cap room. Right now, before some players are released and the new cap is actually factored in, Titans are well under the salary cap and ranks 29th in next year's cap space.
Part of the problem with the ticket is that Tennessee is overpaying a lot of players who either don't make much compared to other players in the league or don't perform very well. Tennessee has to make room somewhere, and that could come from releasing a few players on the next roster. Team difficult decisions must be made.
Titans finished 7-10 this season. Part of that is because the Titans have battled injuries at key positions. The list is still decent. But overpaying players put Tennessee on the precipice of mediocrity for a while.
Robert Woods, Receiver
Robert Woods will definitely not be on the Tennessee Titans roster, at least not with their current roster, when the 2023 season begins. Woods currently has a $14.6 million cap hit next year, which is currently the 20th best in the league. But is Woods a top 20 receiver? Not by any stretch of the imagination.
Robert Woods' 527 yards in 2022 season ranked 77th in the NFL. His 69 catches ranked 69th, but his targets ranked 53rd. Would Woods' production likely have been dampened by not having an experienced or good quarterback for part of the season? Of course, but good receivers get over that sort of thing to some degree, but Woods doesn't.
Woods will turn 31 at the start of next season. That's not ancient for an NFL receiver, but Woods is also likely trade deadline. He can still be a decent receiver and can put up good numbers in the right system. But the Titans don't have the system set up for a mediocre receiver to put up big numbers, but the Titans should pay Woods like he's good, but he's just not anymore. Tennessee could save $12 million by releasing Woods, and it seems it looks very reasonable.
Amani Hooker, Safety
This may be the less popular choice on this list. At just 24 years old, Amani Hooker will grow into a full-time starter when he's healthy. Over the past two years, Hooker has missed 13 of his games. However, as a former fourth-round draft pick, he has earned the trust of the coaching staff and is likely to become a starter in the future.
But the problem is: Can Titans improve safety? After making four interceptions in 2020, Hooker has only caught one each in the last two years. Injury time has clearly impacted his turnover potential, but his quarterback rating has risen to 101.6 for 2022, and he's been well covered for receivers overall.
Hooker was the Titans' lowest-rated safety this season, according to Pro Football Focus. Amani Hooker hurt his ranking the most was his assists in his weak in run support. This is somewhat surprising given how Tennessee has done so well overall for runs.
Hooker's cap hit for 2023 is $9,035,000 (dead cap is $13,685,000). That's too much for a player who seems to be struggling more and more with injuries each season and is more productive on the field.
Ryan Tannehill, Quarterback
Do Titans fans want enough regular season quarterbacks to lead the team to a disappointing postseason? If so, Ryan Tannehill is the man for it. Tannehill's Problem is that he looks a lot like his former team, the Dolphins, over the years. Miami was good enough not bad, but not good enough to be really successful.
That's a big part of Tannehill's problem. He's not bad, but Tennessee is closing in on a great team these time. Tennessee has good running backs and defenses, and an elite quarterback could have taken them to the next level. He should be the fifth best-selling quarterback. He is paid as if he were. Ryan Tannehill is slightly better than Kirk Cousins of the Vikings. Tannehill's cap hit is $36.6 million, compared to Cousins' $36.25 million. But both quarterbacks have the same problem: going to the Super Bowl.
