Tennessee Titans free agency 2020: Top 5 targets

Unless Jon Robinson really thinks a college quarterback like Jacob Eason, Jake Fromm or Jordan Love have what it takes to become the face of the franchise and start under center from day one, the Titans need to bring back Ryan Tannehill on a team-friendly, multi-year deal. Tennessee got the best football out of Tannehill, tapping into everything the Miami Dolphins though he could be.

Tannehill is coming off his first Pro Bowl season, one where he was named NFL Comeback Player of the Year. His return to Nashville means that’s the end of the line for Marcus Mariota as a Titan. We knew that was coming and we should be excited to see if he can bounce back at his next NFL stuff. But this spring, it has to be all about Robinson figuring out how to keep Tannehill around.

Is Tannehill a candidate to be franchise tagged? Technically yes, but is he worth $27.1 million after only played three-quarters of the regular season? The transition tag knocks that down to $25 million, but that’s still a ton of money for Tannehill. Can Robinson try to get Tannehill to sign a two or three-year deal that is somewhere in the $20 million range? It’s a tall task, but he must try.

As long as Tannehill is the Titans starting quarterback, they will have a chance to contend in the AFC South for division titles and be a dark horse contender to come out of the AFC. If Tannehill can lead the Titans to their first division title since 2008 and get this team back to the Super Bowl for the first time since 1999, then paying a slight premium for him on a multi-year deal is worth it.