Byard Agrees to Restructure Contract

The two-time Pro Bowler helps free up some much-needed salary cap space in the wake of recent moves.

Christopher Hanewinckel/USA Today Sports

NASHVILLE – As he looked ahead to the 2022 offseason in January, Tennessee Titans safety Kevin Byard made it clear he’d be willing to restructure his contract in order to help re-sign edge rusher Harold Landry.

The Titans checked the Landry box earlier this month without need of Byard’s help, re-signing their prized edge rusher to a five-year contract.

But the Titans did eventually turn to Byard for salary-cap relief, as a source confirmed Tuesday the team converted approximately $11 million of Byard’s 2022 base salary into a signing bonus, creating $8.7 million in cap space.

ESPN first reported the move, which will help the Titans afford wide receiver Robert Woods’ $10 million cap figure.

The Titans added Woods from the Los Angeles Rams via trade – for a 2023 sixth-round pick – Saturday. The team formally announced that deal Tuesday morning shortly after it settled on the Byard restructure. Woods was originally going to count $13.5 million against the Titans’ salary cap, but as reported Monday, the Rams will pay his $3.5 million roster bonus this season.

The restructure doesn’t lower the overall amount of money Byard will make on this Titans contract. It simply changes how and when he gets that money, and consequently changes the Titans’ cap figure.

Byard had been scheduled to count $15.8 million against the cap in 2022, but that figure drops to $7.1 million following the restructure, per overthecap.com. However, the restructure also increases Byard’s cap hit in 2023 (from $17.4 million to $19.6 million) and in 2024 (from $15.6 million to $17.8 million). The Titans also added two void years to the end of Byard’s contract, per overthecap.

The bottom line for now, though, is that the Byard restructure facilitated the Woods deal.

The Titans had been $3.3 million over the NFL’s salary cap, per overthecap, prior to completing the restructure.

Woods, 29, should serve as a big boost to the Titans’ passing attack, assuming he successfully recovers from the torn ACL he suffered last November. In nine seasons with Buffalo (2013-16) and the Rams (2017-21), Woods totaled 570 receptions for 7,077 career receiving yards and 35 touchdowns.

Before getting hurt last season, Woods was on pace for 85 catches, along with 1,050 yards and eight touchdowns. Those numbers look a lot like Woods from 2018 (86 catches, 1,219 yards and six TDs); 2019 (90 catches, 1,134 yards, two TDs); and 2020 (90 catches, 936 catches and six touchdowns).