The Green Bay Packers still have some cap space to work with, and veteran quarterback Ryan Tannehill could still be a top free agent target before training camp begins.
Bleacher Report’s Alex Ballentine gave out a few free agents that the Packers should pursue. The list included an intriguing veteran in Pro Bowl OT D.J. Humphries. Ballentine also explained why pursuing Tannehill is a sensible move.
“The Packers are too good to rely on a completely inexperienced backup option and Ryan Tannehill could be a solution,” Ballentine wrote. “His days as a starter are over. The market has spoken as far as that is concerned. However, he still has enough in the tank to be a good veteran backup who could win a few games with the Packers surrounding talent.”
Tannehill had previously played on a $118 million deal with the Tennessee Titans. However, this deep into free agency, he will be looking at a much cheaper deal wherever he plays next.
Why Is Ryan Tannehill Still Available?
Plenty of teams have added veteran backup QBs this offseason. However, Tannehill is still waiting for his phone to ring with another opportunity.
It may have taken some time, but Tannehill blossomed into a legitimate quarterback with the Titans. A former college wide receiver, he moved to quarterback his junior season at Texas A&M. He did enough in two seasons to be the eighth overall pick in the 2012 NFL Draft.
Unfortunately, Tannehill was never able to find his footing with the Miami Dolphins. He never had a record better than 8-8 as a starter with the franchise, going 42-46 with Miami.
That changed quickly when the Dolphins traded Tannehill to the Titans. He earned Comeback Player of the Year and Pro Bowl honors in 2019, leading the NFL with a 117.5 passer rating. He went 39-24 as a starter in Tennessee, throwing 93 touchdowns and 40 interceptions.
However, things soured quickly over the last couple of years. Tannehill shut down the idea of mentoring Malik Willis in 2022. A year later, the Titans also added Will Levis in the second round, and he became the starter this past season.
Now, Tannehill is left without a job or a contract. With most backup QB positions also filled, a team like the Packers might be his last hope of playing somewhere in 2024.
Do the Packers Need Another Quarterback?
Jordan Love is firmly the franchise quarterback going forward. However, the Packers have a backup QB battle brewing heading into training camp.
Sean Clifford is the incumbent backup. The fifth-round pick in 2023 was a long-time starter for Penn State in college. However, he lacks the arm talent and overall ability to be a serviceable option if Love were to go down.
The Packers added some QB insurance by taking Michael Pratt in the seventh round of the 2024 NFL Draft. A four-year starter for Tulane, Pratt also doesn’t have the strongest arm. However, he does a great job of layering the ball into tight windows downfield, and has shown the tools to be a solid pro-style quarterback.
However, if the Packers don’t think either are viable backup candidates, a veteran like Tannehill could make a lot of sense.
