The Dolphins were expected to cut quarterback Ryan Tannehill, but they managed to get something for him -- and Tannehill agreed to take a lot less money from the Titans than the Dolphins were slated to pay him.
Tannehill gets a guaranteed $7 million from the Titans this season, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports. Tannehill could earn incentives of more than $12 million, although if all goes according to plan in Tennessee, Tannehill won’t be earning those incentives because he’ll be on the sideline while Marcus Mariota plays.
Under his old contract, Tannehill was slated to make $18.75 million from the Dolphins this season. It was clear the Dolphins weren’t going to pay that, and many thought they would release him. Miami had to be pleased that it could get anything at all for Tannehill, something that could only happen because Tannehill agreed to the big pay cut to facilitate the trade.
The trade that sends Tannehill to Tennessee will net the Dolphins a fourth-round draft pick next year. The teams are also swapping late-round picks this year, with a 2019 seventh-round pick going to Miami and a 2019 sixth-round pick going to Tennessee.