Tennessee Titans: Should Zach Mettenberger be traded?

With the 2015 NFL season just days away, the Tennessee Titans have a good dilemma on their hands. Quarterbacks Zach Mettenberger and Marcus Mariota have both been able to showcase their unique skills in the preseason. While Mettenberger has shown his ability to thread the needle with precision passes from the pocket, Mariota’s mobility has opened up the once stagnant Titans’ offense.

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Barring a catastrophic injury to Marcus Mariota in the coming days, he will unquestionably be Tennessee’s starting quarterback by week one. After all, the Titans didn’t draft him number two overall just to hold a clip board. That being the case, is it time for the Tennessee Titans to trade the improving Mettenberger and strike a deal while the iron is hot?

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I feel as though one could make a strong case for both scenarios. Since only a handful of NFL franchises have a stable quarterback situation, I believe teams will likely overpay for a player like Mettenberger. Keep in mind that Mettenberger was a sixth-round draft pick, so if the Titans can deal Mettenberger in exchange for a higher pick or multiple picks, they will have gotten plenty of mileage out of the sixth-round draft choice that they spent on the former LSU gunslinger.

As I detailed in a previous post regarding the Tennessee Titans, I think Mettenberger’s skill set will allow him to be a successful NFL quarterback. However, there are injury concerns with Mettenberger as knee and shoulder injuries derailed his progress the last two years. If Tennessee’s front office is of the mindset that Mettenberger’s open market value has reached its ceiling and now is the best time to cash in, I certainly could not hold it against them.

The case could also be made to hang onto Mettenberger and allow Tennessee’s quarterback situation to dictate whether or not a trade is in the best interest of the team. While Marcus Mariota has made strides in the preseason, he is far from a finished product. With that in mind, it would be wise for the Titans to keep Mettenberger as insurance just in case Mariota starts to struggle.

Aug 23, 2015; Nashville, TN, USA; Tennessee Titans quarterback Marcus Mariota (8) calls plays at the line during the first half against the St. Louis Rams at Nissan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports

Mettenberger is scheduled to make a base salary of $510,000 this year according to Jim Kleinpeter of NOLA.com. With a cap friendly number for a good backup quarterback, Tennessee may not feel a rush to make a decision. When weighing the pros and cons of dealing Mettenberger, another factor to consider is the trading deadline. According to BloggingtheBoys.com, the NFL’s trading deadline falls on November 3rd this year.

I feel as though having two months to make a decision will help the Tennessee Titans in two ways. This large block of time will give Tennessee an opportunity to evaluate Mariota’s progress and determine whether or not keeping Mettenberger is necessary. Perhaps more importantly, an injury to another team’s starting quarterback may also occur during that time which will drive up the price of a capable player like Mettenberger.

Nov 23, 2014; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Tennessee Titans quarterback Zach Mettenberger (7) warms up before a game against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Derik Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports

All told, I do think Mettenberger will eventually be traded by the Tennessee Titans. With the high draft pick that Tennessee has invested in Mariota at quarterback, the writing on the wall is as clear as day. However, I think the Titans would be best served to wait it out and let the market and/or Mariota’s progress determine when a deal should be made. Mettenberger’s small but impressive sample size of work is more than enough to draw interest from several clubs that are starving for a quarterback with any inkling of ability.

Next: Tennessee Titans: Will Marcus Mariota start week 1?

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