Report: Titans Decline Rashaan Evans' Fifth-Year Option

The Tennessee Titans reportedly informed Evans' agent that they will not pick up his fifth-year option, hope to sign him to a new contract before his rookie deal expires in 2022.

The Tennessee Titans have informed Rashaan Evans’ agent, Drew Rosenhaus, that they will not be exercising his client’s fifth-year option, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

The Titans, according to Schefter, cited ongoing salary-cap uncertainty and instead hope to resign Evans to a contract extension before his rookie deal expires in 2022.

Evans, the 22nd overall pick in 2018, has been a full-time starter for the last two seasons. He led the Titans in tackles with 111 in 2019. That total fell to 96 last year for the Pro Bowl and All-Pro hopeful, and he instead led the team in penalties.

For his career, Evans, out of Alabama, has 260 tackles, 12 tackles for a loss, three sacks and one defensive touchdown (vs. Kansas City in 2019).

The Titans are already one of five AFC teams and eight overall that will not get a fifth year from any of its first-round picks in 2016 and 2017. Declining Evans’ fifth-year option means that the Titans will not get a fifth year from their 2018 first-round pick either.

Adoreé Jackson came closest to playing out a fifth-year. Last year, the cornerback selected 18th overall in 2017 became the first of Robinson’s first-round picks to have his fifth-year option picked up. When that contract year was at hand in March, Jackson was released to create space under the salary cap.

Tackle Jack Conklin (eight overall, 2016) and wide receiver Corey Davis (fifth overall, 2017) had their fifth-year options declined. Both quickly got multi-year deals from other clubs in free agency.

Evans has been mostly productive over his three seasons as a Titan thus far, and it makes sense that the Titans would want to resign him to a new deal before his current contract expires. However, players behind him on the depth chart could have an impact on whether or not that happens.

The Titans have David Long Jr., a sixth-round pick in 2019, who came on strong at the end of last season. He started five games after linebacker Jayon Brown sustained a season-ending injury in Week 11. Long finished the season with 54 tackles and two for a loss of yards, and most of that production came with more playing time.

In the 2021 NFL Draft, the Titans drafted inside linebacker Monty Rice with one of their two third-round picks. The University of Georgia standout told the media, “I can run, I can hit, I can cover, you know I can do what a three-down linebacker needs to be able to do. In today’s NFL, you got to be able to run and hit and linebacker, and I do a pretty good job of that.”

After selecting Rice, general manager Jon Robinson and coach Mike Vrabel spoke to their confidence level in Evans and what their vision was for Rice.

“I guess I would just first address Rashaan (Evans). Extremely confident and comfortable with Rashaan. He comes in and tries to make a daily impact on our football team in virtual meetings. He's learning. We're doing some things that continue to change that position and I think he's excited about that,” Vrabel said. “And then with Monty (Rice), it was looking at a player, trying to get younger and help us on special teams and what his expectation level is is the same for everybody.

“You know, come in and know what to do as quickly as possible, and play as hard and as fast as you can and try to help the team in any possible way.”