Currently, I do not even have Matt Hasselbeck cracking my Early Quarterback Rankings, but that will change if Hasselbeck takes up residence in good ol' rockytop and here's why!
The Tennessee Titans, along with every other NFL team, are setting their hopeful sights on a possible CBA vote that could come as early as Friday of this week.
The vote could thrust the Titans into the throngs of free agency, moving them closer to a quarterback who almost seems destined to play in Tennessee—Matt Hasselbeck.
That’s right; I said destined.
This is not just about the free-agent market, or the fact that the Seahawks are holding out hope that their one-year, $7 million offer will be enough to hold Hasselbeck—it’s about apparent destiny.
The Titans need a quarterback who can mentor their No. 1 overall draft pick in Jake Locker, but they also want a quarterback who can come in and win now.
Hasselbeck is already very familiar with family friend and Titans offensive coordinator Chris Palmer (since 1986), and he does have ties with GM Mike Reinfeldt and VP of Player Personnel Ruston Webster.
But that’s not all.
The Titans have been interested in Hasselbeck since before the draft according to Jim Wyatt of The Tennessean, and even younger brother Tim Hasselbeck told NFL Live this past Monday, “It is a very real possibility, and it would be a very bold move to see him as a Tennessee Titan…”
Heck, even Daniel O’Neil of The Seattle Times believes it is a real possibility.
The only issue standing in the way is a possible brooding bid war that could transpire between Seattle and Tennessee.
The Seahawks want Hasselbeck back, but know they can only go so far with their money under the eventual new salary cap rules.
For the Titans, if the final rookie wage scale keeps Jake Locker under what he would normally get paid as a rookie, the Titans would have more money to bargain with, ergo eliminating any worries concerning such a bidding war.
For Hasselbeck, though, a gig in Tennessee would just make sense.
The Titans have a better O-line, a much better ground game, a better defense and a rising class of wide receivers with nothing but upside—tight ends included.
Which opens up the fantasy football realm of things.
For years, the Titans have not been able to throw the ball in a manner that has been deemed threatning.
This has cut into Chris Johnson's fantasy potential and the Titans' receivers overall fantasy value.
We currently have Chris Johnson ranked fourth, and Greg Brosh also believes with a guy like Hasselbeck in town, "defenses won't be able to key in on him as much".
Because of the QB situation, defenses have been stacking 8 in the box against Johnson; last year opponenets were notorious for this.
And even with 8 in the box, defenses were playing a lot of base zone coverage to keep the receivers from being anything other than pedestrian fantasy receivers.
Hasselbeck has the ability to change all of that.
In addition to the aforementioned, he would give Dynasty managers a reason to increase Jake Locker's potential long-term value.
A win-win situation for everyone, but for now, we'll just have to sit and wait patiently.
For more fantasy outlooks regarding Tennessee, come check out Damian Williams’ sleeper potential. You might be surprised.
