Tag: Ben Jones

Ben Jones contract details: Titans center carries cheap 2022 cap hit

The year-by-year breakdown of Ben Jones’ contract extension with the Titans.

The Tennessee Titans inked center Ben Jones to a two-year, $14 million deal ($8 million guaranteed) on Monday, which at the time we said was a steal even before knowing the specifics.

Now, after seeing the specifics, the contract is even better than we thought.

According to Over the Cap, Jones will account for a 2022 cap hit of just $3.4 million. From there, Jones will carry an $8.2 million cap hit in 2023, and then there’s a void year in 2024 for $2.2 million.

So, essentially, Jones will make $11.6 million over the next two seasons, which works out to $5.8 million per.

When compared to other centers in the NFL, that average ranks 14th, and we know there aren’t 13 other centers better than Jones. Even if you want to say the annual average is $7 million, that ranks 12th, but the point stands.

In terms of total value, Jones’ pact ranks even lower, coming in at No. 15 among centers.

If, for whatever reason, the Titans decide to cut Jones in 2023 (blasphemous, I know), the move will carry a dead-cap charge of $4.5 million if done before June 1, and a $2.2 million hit if done after that date.

All in all, this contract is perfect.

The Titans didn’t even come close to breaking the bank to retain their best offensive lineman, and his 2022 cap charge is just what the doctor ordered for a cash-strapped team like Tennessee.

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Grading Titans’ moves from Day 1 of legal tampering period

We’re assigning a grade for all four of the Titans’ moves from Day 1 of the legal tampering period.

The Tennessee Titans made a grand total of four moves on the first unofficial day of free agency, and now we’re assigning a grade for each.

We say “unofficial” because any contracts with pending free agents that have been agreed to up to this point can’t be made official until March 16, the start of the new league year.

Nevertheless, here’s a look at what the Titans were up to on Monday:

Re-signed: C Ben Jones, TE Geoff Swaim

Signed: OL Jamarco Jones

Declined tender: RT David Quessenberry

We expect several more moves in the days and weeks ahead, including more cuts, restructures and, of course, more free agency signings. How big the Titans go remains to be seen, though.

For now, let’s just focus on what the Titans did on Monday.

Note: All contract figures are courtesy of Over the Cap. Also, follow along with our tracker for all of the latest moves the Titans make.

Titans Twitter is thrilled Ben Jones is staying in Tennessee

Titans Twitter is happy the team is keeping Ben Jones, and especially at the price he signed for.

The Tennessee Titans made the majority of their fanbase happy on Monday afternoon by delivering the news that center Ben Jones will be wearing two-tone blue for at least a few more seasons.

The Georgia product signed a two-year, $14 million deal that looks like a bargain at first glance.

Jones has been a vital member of the Titans’ offense since his arrival back in 2016. He is consistently one of the most cerebral members of the team who makes life easier on Ryan Tannehill by helping him to check into the right situations.

Now that Tennessee has secured a deal with their two key free agents in Jones and Harold Landry, the Titans can begin focusing on trying to lure other prized free agents their way.

As expected, the reaction to the news has been overwhelmingly positive on social media. Teammates, fans and insiders have weighed in and shared their opinions on Tennessee’s latest move:

Titans sign C Ben Jones to two-year contract extension

Ben Jones is sticking around with the Titans on a two-year deal.

The Tennessee Titans have reportedly agreed to terms on a contract extension with their most important pending free agent on offense, center Ben Jones.

According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, Jones and the Titans have agreed on a two-year deal worth $14 million, which is an absolute steal for the most underrated center in the NFL.

Jones is the second offensive line move Tennessee has made on the first day of the legal tampering period. The Titans are also signing former Seattle Seahawks offensive lineman Jamarco Jones to a two-year deal.

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Titans’ Jon Robinson talks future of the offensive line

Jon Robinson points to continuity as a major plus for the Titans’ offensive line.

The Tennessee Titans enter the 2022 offseason with plenty of question marks along the offensive line, especially after the group allowed 47 sacks last season, the seventh-most in the NFL.

Left guard Rodger Saffold and left tackle Taylor Lewan have both been considered potential cut candidates, with Saffold being more likely.

The former struggled with pass protection and injury in 2021, and is set to turn 34 in June. Lewan also saw some struggles in both areas in his first year back from a torn ACL, but his $14.6 million salary for 2022 seems very reasonable when you consider it ranks 11th in the NFL among left tackles.

At center, Ben Jones is set to hit the open market, as is the case with right tackle David Quessenberry, who led the NFL in sacks allowed last season with 11. Jones is definitely someone Tennessee should bring back.

Right guard Nate Davis might be the most secure going into the offseason, as he’s under contract. However, he wasn’t too great either in 2021 and is in the final year of his rookie deal in 2022, making his future a bit murky.

Knowing that big decisions are coming upfront, Titans general manager Jon Robinson was asked about the future of this group while down at the 2022 NFL Combine this week, per Jim Wyatt of Titans Online.

“That group has been together for a long time, and they know each other,” Robinson said. “There’s something to be said when you have that type of continuity with your front. … Those are some of the decisions we’re having to work through, with Ben, and trying to keep him, and looking at all the positions on our football team with decisions we’re going to have to make.”

While the continuity the Titans have had upfront is no doubt a plus, it didn’t help the group in pass protection, where it struggled and no doubt made things more difficult for Ryan Tannehill.

So far this offseason, we’ve predicted that Saffold will get cut, but Jones and Quessenberry will be re-signed, with the latter having to fight to keep his starting right tackle job in a potential competition with Dillon Radunz. Preferably, Quessenberry serves as depth in 2022.

We also have Lewan returning, but the Titans would definitely be wise to explore adding his potential future replacement in the 2022 NFL draft, and the same can be said if the Titans decide to keep Saffold.

Tennessee might already have an in-house solution for him in Aaron Brewer; however, neither Radunz nor Brewer are sure bets to improve the group’s pass protection.

Chances are if the Titans do add an offensive lineman or two this offseason, they’ll come via the draft, as finding a starting-caliber offensive lineman who excels in pass protection won’t be easy, or cheap.

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Predicting the fate of Titans’ most notable pending free agents

A look at the Titans’ most notable free agents and what we predict will happen with each.

With free agency rapidly approaching this month (the legal tampering period begins on March 14, and the official start of free agency on March 16), the Tennessee Titans have a total of 31 pending free agents to make decisions on.

General manager Jon Robinson will have a tough situation to navigate this offseason, as Tennessee sits nearly $8 million over the salary cap, which will necessitate the team making cuts and restructures, and getting creative with the contracts it doles out.

We saw Robinson work some magic last offseason by backloading contracts and adding void years to others, and we expect much of the same this year with the Titans trying to improve while in win-now mode.

With all that in mind, we’re going to take a look at the team’s most notable pending free agents, while also predicting each of their fates. We start with Tennessee’s two biggest pending free agents, outside linebacker Harold Landry and center Ben Jones.

What a contract extension for Titans’ Ben Jones might look like

The Titans won’t have to break the bank to bring back Ben Jones.

Center Ben Jones is one of the most important pending free agents for the Tennessee Titans to make a decision on this offseason, but said decision shouldn’t be that difficult.

Jones was Tennessee’s best offensive lineman in 2021. With fellow starters upfront struggling with ineffectiveness, injury, or both, he was once again a stabilizing force, both in the passing game and ground attack.

The Georgia product finished with Pro Football Focus grades of 66.3 and 79.9 in pass protection and run-blocking, respectively, both good enough for second-best among the starters along the offensive line.

Adding to that, Jones allowed just one sack, the fewest of any offensive lineman on the team, and his 26 pressures allowed were tied for second-fewest.

While age might be a concern for Jones moving forward (he’s set to turn 33 in July), we’d have to see his decline before we worry about it. After all, not only is Jones still playing at a high level, he’s been as durable as they come, with just one game missed in six seasons in Nashville.

So, what should we expect in a new contract for Jones if the Titans end up giving it to him?

Jones’ last contract extension was a two-year pact worth $13.5 million, which works out to $6.75 million annually. It’s safe to say the veteran will be looking for a raise — and quite frankly, he’s earned it.

PFF estimates that Jones will get a deal of three years and $20 million. That works out to an annual average of $6.67 million, which is actually a bit lower than his previous extension.

We believe it’ll cost a bit more to bring Jones back. Look for him to get a deal of about two or three years that pays him somewhere around $7 to $8 million annually and has a nice chunk of change guaranteed.

If a third year is included in the deal, chances are it won’t have much, if any guaranteed money, seeing as how Jones would be in his aged 35 season and the Titans would likely want an out at that point just in case.

We’d also expect the first-year cap hit to be minimal with Tennessee having limited funds to spare, leaving the biggest cap hit of the contract in Year 2.

Final contract prediction: Two years, $15 million ($11 million guaranteed)

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Titans select Tyler Linderbaum in Daniel Jeremiah’s mock draft

If the Titans don’t retain Ben Jones, Tyler Linderbaum would be a solid pick.

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In his latest mock draft, NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah has the Tennessee Titans taking a player we haven’t seen mocked to them yet this offseason.

With the No. 26 overall pick in Jeremiah’s mock, the Titans select Iowa center Tyler Linderbaum. Here’s his take on the selection:

“Linderbaum is an athletic center with a mauling mentality in the run game,” Jeremiah wrote. “That’s an ideal blend for the Titans.”

As ideal a fit as Linderbaum would be, it remains to be seen if the Titans will even have a need at center in 2022.

While Ben Jones is a free agent, we expect him to be back. After all, he has been as reliable as they come in six seasons in Tennessee, and he was the team’s best offensive lineman in 2021.

If the veteran returns, the Titans would be wise to address a position of need with their first pick, like at wide receiver, guard, tackle, or even tight end. If Jones isn’t retained, center becomes the biggest need on offense, and in that case the 6-foot-3, 290-pound center would be a great pick.

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Titans 2022 offseason preview: Where things stand on offense

A look at each position group on offense and how the Titans can improve them.

After enjoying two years as one of the best offenses in the NFL, the Tennessee Titans took a major step back in 2021.

While the struggles of quarterback Ryan Tannehill no doubt aided that issue, he wasn’t solely to blame. Injuries at wide receiver, poor pass protection, and putrid play-calling by new offensive coordinator Todd Downing also played large roles in Tennessee’s offensive struggles.

It was a flipping of the script from what we had seen the past two years, a span that saw the offense routinely bailing out the defense. In 2021, it was the defense bailing out the offense.

With all that in mind, the Titans have some work to do on the offensive side of the ball this offseason if they want to improve. Let’s go position group by position group and see what the current state of each is, and how the Titans can improve ahead of next season.

PFF names Titans’ Ben Jones the most underrated FA at center

Jones was the Titans’ best offensive lineman during the 2021 campaign.

The Tennessee Titans have a laundry list of players headed for free agency this offseason and not a whole lot of money to work with. Actually, the Titans are sitting approximately $7 million over the salary cap, per OverTheCap.

Harold Landry highlights the Titans’ free agents this offseason. The 25-year-old had a career year, collecting 12 sacks, 75 combined tackles, including 14 tackles for loss, and 22 QB hits.

We recently discussed whether it would be advantageous for the Titans to use the franchise tag on Landry this offseason. The thinking here is to have the Boston College product prove that 2021 was not a one-off.

However, the Titans have a key piece on the offensive line in center Ben Jones, who is also set to hit the open market.

According to Pro Football Focus’ Anthony Treash, the 32-year-old is the most underrated free agent at the center position going into the offseason.

“Jones has consistently been a solid interior offensive lineman in the NFL, as he has never earned a PFF grade above 80.0 in his 10-year NFL career but has also never posted a grade lower than 70.0 outside of his 2012 rookie campaign. He’s fared particularly well in recent years, finishing as one of the top five most valuable centers in each of the last three seasons. Tennessee is going to want Jones back, but it could easily get outbid by a team like the Cincinnati Bengals, who are rich in cap space and desperate to improve upfront.”

After spending the first four years of his career with the Houston Texans, Jones has been in Tennessee for the last six.

The Georgia product has been a staple on the offensive line, and as PFF notes, he has been consistent during his tenure. His durability has been unmatched also, as he’s missed just one game during his tenure in Tennessee.

The Titans have a number of questions along the offensive line.

On the left side, both Taylor Lewan and Rodger Saffold could be salary cap casualties this offseason, which would free up a combined $23.3 million while carrying a $4.2 million dead cap hit.

On the right side, both Nate Davis and David Quessenberry were shaky in pass protection in 2021, with the latter accounting for 11 sacks allowed, the most in the NFL.

The Titans must improve their pass blocking next season to set quarterback Ryan Tannehill up for success. While the Titans will likely be saying goodbye to some familiar faces, retaining Jones would be a smart move.

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