Aaron Rodgers to Titans? Odds still heavily favor Ryan Tannehill as Tennessee's Week 1 starting quarterback in 2022 NFL season

Could there be a new suitor for Aaron Rodgers?

Matt Severance

I swore I wasn't going to address this, but it's exploding all across social media so we have to: Aaron Rodgers is apparently building a home outside of Nashville, so naturally Titans fans are in a tizzy that he might want to play for their team next season. Alas, SportsLine oddsmakers still heavily favor Ryan Tannehill to be Tennessee's Week 1 starter in 2022.

Jared Stillman of a Nashville radio station was the first to report on the fact Rodgers is building a home in the Nashville suburb of Franklin, that he is open to joining the Titans and that current Packers teammates don't expect him back. These were all via "sources."

Rodgers has made hundreds of millions of dollars in his career so he probably has houses all over the country. He sold his long-time California home last week for $5.13 million. He usually spent time there in the offseason, and his fiancée, actress Shailene Woodley, is often in Los Angeles for work. Keep in mind that Woodley lives at least part time in Boulder, not far from Denver, and the Broncos have long been considered the most likely landing spot for Rodgers if he demands a trade. (Tennessee's AFC South would be MUCH more winnable division for Rodgers than Denver's AFC West.)

Would the Titans gladly dump Tannehill for Rodgers? Unquestionably. Tannehill has been a fine regular-season quarterback with Tennessee but has flopped in the playoffs – the Bengals probably aren't in Super Bowl 56 if Tannehill doesn't throw three picks vs. Cincinnati in the Divisional Round, including one with 20 seconds left that led to the Bengals' walk-off field goal. Tannehill is now 0-3 in his past three playoff games.

This all comes down to Tannehill's contract. He has a $29 million fully guaranteed salary for 2022 and his cap hit is $38.6 million, which is fifth-highest among all quarterbacks. There's a $57.4 million dead cap hit if Tennessee releases Tannehill, and the Packers obviously aren't taking Tannehill in any trade for Rodgers. Long story short: Maybe the Titans draft a QB to groom, but they are stuck with Tannehill at least one more season.

If you are wondering, the Titans do visit Green Bay next season.

Via SportsLine oddsmakers: Will Ryan Tannehill be the Titans' Week 1 starting QB in 2022?

  • Yes -450
  • No +300

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