The Titans made extending their 2018 second-round draftee their pre-free agency centerpiece item, coming to an agreement with Harold Landry. Their next core task will be extending their 2019 Round 2 pick.
A.J. Brown and the Titans have begun extension talks, according to GM Jon Robinson, who confirmed the team wants the standout wide receiver in Tennessee long-term. While the discussions are “very, very preliminary,” per Robinson, the recent activity on the receiver market injects additional intrigue into the situation. Brown became extension-eligible in January.
“A.J. is a Titan, and we want to keep A.J. a Titan,” Robinson said, via Jim Wyatt of TennesseeTitans.com. “And that’s part of our goal this offseason, or whenever that manifests itself, to come to an agreement to keep him around.”
Despite not using their franchise tag on Landry, the Titans extended their top edge rusher hours after the deadline passed. The team has more time with Brown, but the blossoming pass catcher is going into a contract year. And the wide receiver market has exploded over the past several days, with both Davante Adams and Tyreek Hill topping DeAndre Hopkins‘ 2020 extension.
Brown reaching the Adams or Hill tier might be unrealistic, but his age (24) and production work to his advantage. The Raiders and Dolphins’ extension decisions raised the bar for a 2019 draft class that includes Brown, Deebo Samuel, D.K. Metcalf and Terry McLaurin. Being drafted outside the first round, and thus not restricted by the fifth-year option, this promising quartet will play a key role in where the receiver market goes in the coming months. It will be interesting to see which teams move forward with big-ticket extensions on this recently adjusted market and which clubs hold off. The franchise tag may well come into play with members of this group.
A Metcalf Ole Miss teammate, Brown started his career with two 1,000-yard seasons and is one of the NFL’s top young wideouts. Brown missed four games with chest and hamstring injuries last season but remains Tennessee’s top aerial weapon. He will have a new veteran complement in 2022, with the Titans trading for Robert Woods, who is attached to a deal that runs through 2025. Woods’ Rams-constructed extension calls for a 2022 base salary of $10MM and $13.75MM salaries in 2023 and ’24. Beyond 2022, none of Woods’ money is guaranteed.
Lock him up.