Ran Carthon on What He Wants in a QB

The preferences of the Tennessee Titans' new general manager seemingly is good news for incumbent signal-caller Ryan Tannehill.

Ran Carthon said he needed time to evaluate quarterback Ryan Tannehill before he decides what the Tennessee Titans will do at that position next season.

Based on what he wants in a quarterback, though, it seems probable that he will see some things he likes.

“Guys that are able to deliver the ball on time and accurately – just where it’s supposed to be – and then have some toughness to them,” Carthon said this week on Greenlight, a podcast hosted by former NFL defensive lineman Chris Long. “… All those things kind of help, especially at that position.”

Tannehill has been the Titans’ starter for most of the past four seasons, and his completion percentage during that time (66.9) is tied for sixth in the NFL and his 7.9 yards-per-attempt average is third best among the top 10. He also is one of seven with a completion percentage better than 66.0 and a passer rating of better than 100 (his is 100.5).

“I like anticipatory passers,” Carthon told Long. “You’ve got some guys that can get the ball out quick. They know where the spot is. They can get it there accurately. The anticipation, accuracy – I think those two attributes for a quarterback may help them overcome a couple physical limitations that they may have. You don’t have to have the strongest arm if you can get it out early and get it there accurately.

“And then just overall toughness – both mental and physical. Playing that position, it takes a toll on you over the course of an 18-week regular season and [not] even talking about making it into the playoffs and how that goes.”

When he replaced Marcus Mariota six games into the 2019 season, Tannehill started 49 straight games, a franchise record for quarterbacks. The first of two ankle injuries ended that streak this season, and the second ended his season early. In all, he played just 12 of 17 games this season, but both times he was injured, he managed to finish the game.

As the Titans’ starter, Tannehill has nearly twice as many wins (36) as losses (19).

The uncertainty about his status is tied to the fact that he has one year remaining on his contract but is set to count $36.6 million against the salary cap (16.1 percent of the Titans’ entire cap). By releasing Tannehill with a post-June 1 designation, however, the team can save $27 million in cap space and carry just $9.6 million in dead money (source: OverTheCap.com).

However, Malik Willis, a third-round pick in the 2022 draft and Tannehill’s backup for most of the season, was not decisive enough in his first taste of the NFL, according to coach Mike Vrabel. Eventually, Willis’ hesitation to throw the ball quickly led coaches to replace him with Josh Dobbs for the final two games when Tannehill was out.