Anyone wondering why the Titans were talking to former Bills quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick just got their answer.
The team has released a statement announcing that they were unable to reach an agreement on a restructured contract with quarterback Matt Hasselbeck and that the team will release him as a result. Hasselbeck was scheduled to make $5.5 million in 2013, a number that the team clearly felt was too much for a player who would have been a backup to Jake Locker. Hasselbeck acknowledged earlier this offseason that a pay cut might be necessary and seemed open to it, although appearances were deceiving.
“I want to thank Matt for his contributions to our team over the last two years,” Titans General Manager Ruston Webster said in the statement. “He was an important part of the transition process - he was a pro at every turn and he provided an example to the rest of the team. I know that we are a better team for his being here and we wish him the best.”
With Hasselbeck out of the picture, the Titans will need to find a new backup for Locker. That explains why they’re talking to Fitzpatrick, even if the conversations started as a way to leverage Hasselbeck into a pay cut that would have made him a viable option to remain in Tennessee.