USAT: Titans Wire audio clip

USAT: Titans Wire

Feb 26, 2022

The Tennessee Titans were recently named as a possible landing spot for pending free agent tight end, Rob Gronkowski. - In a breakdown looking at Gronkowski’s pending free agency, Pro Football Network’s Adam H. Beasley believes the Titans, along with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Arizona Cardinals, Los Angeles Chargers and Kansas City Chiefs, are all possible options for the 32-year-old. - “Gronk seems to have enjoyed his time in Tampa, so the Buccaneers should be on the list of any teams in the mix. However, much of his decision depends on their quarterback situation. - “If he decides to play elsewhere in 2022, the fit will have to be perfect. He’s not going to join a bad team. And he’s not going to play for a coach like Belichick. The Cardinals make a lot of sense for the former Arizona Wildcat. The Chargers, Titans, and Chiefs do too.” - Of course, Beasley also notes that Gronkowski could simply retire, something he hinted was a possibility at the end of the season. - “If they’re like, ‘Rob, you’ve got to decide right now, right this second if you’re playing next year,’ I would say no right now. It’s two days after the season,” Gronkowski told TMZ. “I would be like, ‘No, I’m not playing.’ … You’ve got to give it some time. You’ve got to rest. I would say to see how everything goes, how everything plays out.” - I tend to believe Gronk won’t be returning to the Bucs after the retirement of his good friend and future Hall of Famer, Tom Brady, and that retirement is more likely than him playing another season. - Gronk is going to be looking to join a contender if he does decide to play, and the Titans would qualify as such after a 12-5 season and three straight trips to the playoffs. - While Tennessee does have a question mark at quarterback, Ryan Tannehill has proven he can at least take the Titans to the playoffs, and Tennessee did make a run to the AFC Championship game with him under center in 2019. - Putting the quarterback aside for now, the Titans are set to run it back with a championship-caliber defense, and their offense has enough weapons that a signing of Gronkowski would give them an embarrassment of riches. - For Tennessee, an upgrade at the tight end position with a more well-rounded option is certainly something the team should at least explore, and Gronk checks that box thanks to his skills as a receiver and blocker. - Gronkowski, who tallied his best numbers since 2017 with 55 catches for 802 yards and six touchdowns, is estimated to be worth $8.3 million on a one-year deal, per Spotrac. - At that price, a cash-strapped team like the Titans could land arguably the best tight end on the market without paying top dollar for a younger, less proven option like Mike Gesicki or Dalton Schultz, both of whom are projected to land more than Gronk in free agency. - Adding to that, a one-year commitment is right up the Titans’ alley. It allows them to go all-in for next season without adding to what is sure to be future cap issues like the ones they are facing in 2022, and Gronk would allow Tennessee more time to develop a younger tight end should it draft one. - Maybe Titans head coach Mike Vrabel should call his buddy Brady and have him lobby for Gronk to go to Nashville. - - RelatedTitans land in top 10 of Touchdown Wire's power rankingsTitans' Bud Dupree: 'No excuses' for disappointing 2021 seasonWhat a contract extension for Titans' Harold Landry might look like - - List - - Dueling Tennessee Titans 7-round mock drafts version 1.0 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Email - - - - - Sign up - - - - - - - - Like this article? - Sign up for the Titans Wire email newsletter to get our top stories in your inbox every morning - - - - An error has occured - - - Please re-enter your email address. - - - - - - Thanks for signing up! - - - You'll now receive the top Titans Wire stories each day directly in your inbox.

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