As euphoric as it is, the Super Bowl is always a bittersweet event.
While we crown a champion in what is the climax of a hard-fought season, we all know once the clock hits zeros, the NFL offseason sadly begins.
Congratulations to the Kansas City Chiefs on their remarkable overtime win over the San Francisco 49ers. Chiefs Kingdom will be celebrating their latest Lombardi Trophy for months, and rightfully so.
For the rest of us, it’s never too early to take a look at offseason storylines and the moves that may or may not happened.
One interesting name to keep your eye on is (soon-to-be-former) Tennessee Titans quarterback Ryan Tannehill … Set to hit free agency next month, there is said to be a few teams interested in the veteran QB.
According to NFL Network insiders Ian Rapoport, Tom Pelissero, and Mike Garafolo, the Pittsburgh Steelers are expected to explore the possibility of bringing Tannehill onboard.
With the emergence of Will Levis (and firing of head coach Mike Vrabel), it’s clear that Tennessee is eager to turn the page to a new era of Titans football.
The 35-year-old Tannehill who won the 2019 Comeback Player of the Year has been haunted by injuries for the majority of his career. However, he seems to have a close ally in Pittsburgh now that the Steelers have hired Arthur Smith as their new offensive coordinator.
“With new offensive coordinator Arthur Smith, the expectation is Pittsburgh will explore adding free agent Ryan Tannehill, who had his best years with the Titans while Smith was the OC there,” NFL Network reported.
The Insiders on @NFLGameDay: The #Broncos face a crucial decision on Russell Wilson; The #Eagles are welcoming QB Jalen Hurts being more vocal and jovial; #Eagles edge Haason Reddick got permission to seek a trade; The #Steelers may inquire about free agent QB Ryan Tannehill. pic.twitter.com/YhxvkkdkLl
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) February 11, 2024
Throughout his career, which began when he was drafted in the first round in 2012, Tannehill has amassed a respectable record of 81 wins and 70 losses.
He has thrown for 34,881 passing yards, 216 touchdowns, and 115 interceptions.
However, his performance in 2023 saw him start only eight games for the Titans, during which he threw four touchdowns and seven interceptions as injuries and poor play helped doom his season.
Ryan Tannehill is among the pending free agent QBs this offseason. A deal with Arthur Smith and the #Steelers is expected to be explored:https://t.co/CFVwNlh2Ue
— Pro Football Rumors (@pfrumors) February 11, 2024
For the Steelers, the quarterback position has been a revolving door, with three different quarterbacks taking snaps in 2023 – Kenny Pickett, Mitch Trubisky and Mason Rudolph.
Pickett was drafted to be the franchise quarterback of the Steelers. However, he has failed to develop the way that they have hoped and it’s clear that there is some tension between he and head coach Mike Tomlin.
According to @PFF, look out for the #Steelers and new OC Arthur Smith as a potential fit if QB Kirk Cousins heads to FA. 👀
When it’s all said and done, where do you think Cousins ends up? 👇
pic.twitter.com/jmxJa9j2r0— The Purple Persuasion (@TPPSkol) February 4, 2024
As competitive as the Steelers were this season, it’s clear that they have a major quarterback problem.
They have to figure out if Pickett is indeed their long-term answer … Or if they need to look elsewhere, whether that be through trade, free agency or the draft.
Right on cue, Pittsburgh made the decision to release Trubisky, who was set to count heavily against the team’s salary cap. His departure is expected to save the Steelers approximately $3 million in cap space.
As for Rudolph, he’s been quite a polarizing figure among Steelers fans.
He seemed to partly make up for all the headaches and frustration he’s caused the city of Pittsburgh with how strong he played down the stretch of this season.
Set to be a free agent, Tomlin and the Steelers front office have expressed interest in resigning Rudolph … However, there are reports that he’s anxious for a fresh start and clean slate elsewhere.
Whether he stays in Pittsburgh or not, we all know that Rudolph is not the long-term answer at quarterback for the Steelers.
They, along with a few other teams (such as the Falcons, Raiders, Commanders, Patriots, Vikings and Bears) will certainly explore options at quarterback.
There are some QB’s who may be available via trade (such as Chicago’s Justin Fields).
The league is also blessed with what looks to be a phenomenal quarterback draft class – featuring the likes of North Carolina’s Drake Maye, USC’s Caleb Williams, LSU’s Jayden Daniels, Oregon’s Bo Nix, and Michigan’s J.J. McCarthy (just to name a few).
But how about the free agent class at quarterback???
Well, ask and you shall receive!
Here are the top quarterbacks that are set to hit free agency next month…
-Kirk Cousins: 35 years old, (Vikings)
-Baker Mayfield: 28 years old, (Buccaneers)
-Ryan Tannehill: 35 years old, (Titans)
-Gardner Minshew: 27 years old, (Colts)
-Jameis Winston: 30 years old, (Saints)
-Jacoby Brissett: 31 years old, (Commanders)
-Joe Flacco: 39 years old, (Browns)
-Sam Darnold: 26 years old (!!!!!), (49ers)
-Mason Rudolph: 28 years old, (Steelers)
-Joshua Dobbs: 29 years old, (Vikings)
The quarterback group is spearheaded by Cousins, who is set to recover from an Achilles injury. Although expressing interest in returning to Minnesota, he may consider other options given the demand for quarterbacks across the league.
Mayfield enjoyed a career resurgence with the Buccaneers and is expected to reach an agreement on a lucrative contract extension to remain in Tampa Bay.
When rookie Anthony Richardson suffered a season-ending shoulder injury, Minshew stepped up and guided the Indianapolis Colts to a 9-8 record. Similar to Mayfield, Minshew is expected to remain as the backup in Indy unless another team offers him a chance to compete for a starting position.
A wild-card in the class is Darnold who seems like he’s been in the league forever, but is still amazingly just 26 years old … Could a rebuilding team be interested in giving him a shot at being their starter???
What are your thoughts on the quarterback free agent class?
Where do you think Cousins will end up?
Who would your top five be? – and how many of them are true starters in the league???