Wesley Hitt/Getty ImagesImpending free-agent quarterback Ryan Tannehill reportedly may be a target for the Pittsburgh Steelers this offseason.
According to NFL.com's Ian Rapoport, Tom Pelissero and Mike Garafolo, there is an "expectation" within the league that the Steelers will look into signing Tannehill, primarily due to the hiring of offensive coordinator Arthur Smith.
The Steelers' new OC was the Tennessee Titans' offensive coordinator from 2019 through 2020, and it was under Smith that Tannehill enjoyed his best seasons.
Tannehill, 35, has spent the past five seasons in Tennessee after playing six years for the Miami Dolphins to start his career.
During his time with the Titans, Tannehill is 39-24 as a starter, and he helped lead Tennessee to the playoffs in three straight seasons from 2019 to 2021.
After beginning the 2019 season as a backup, Tannehill took the starting job from Marcus Mariota and went on to throw for 2,742 yards, 22 touchdowns and six interceptions in 12 games, including 10 starts, He also helped the Titans reach their first AFC Championship Game since 2002.
Tennessee Titans @TitansTop 10 Tannehill Moments of 2019.<br><br>Let's run it back in 2020. 🎯 <a href="https://t.co/SoETKQxmWS">pic.twitter.com/SoETKQxmWS</a>
The following season, which was his second and final one under Smith, Tannehill enjoyed the best statistical season of his career, completing 65.5 percent of his passes for 3,819 yards, a career-high 33 touchdowns and just seven picks.
Tannehill has not come close to reaching those numbers again in the past three seasons without Smith, and he struggled through an especially tough 2023 campaign that resulted in him losing his starting job to rookie Will Levis.
In 10 appearances and eight starts this season, Tannehill went 3-5 and completed 64.8 percent of his passes for 1,616 yards, four touchdowns and seven picks.
It is fair to wonder if Tannehill has reached the end of the line in terms of being an effective NFL quarterback, but reuniting with Smith could potentially revitalize his career.
Kenny Pickett, Mitchell Trubisky and Mason Rudolph all started games at quarterback for the Steelers in 2023, but Trubisky is a cut candidate and Rudolph will be a free agent.
Rudolph returning is a possibility, though, as he started the final three games of the regular season, going 3-0 and helping Pittsburgh reach the playoffs.
However, if Rudolph is not brought back, Tannehill would be a sensible addition to mentor Pickett and possibly compete with him for the starting job.
After suggesting in a previous interview that the Steelers could possibly make a significant trade to address the quarterback position during the offseason, Steelers owner Art Rooney II told WTAE's Andrew Stockey last week that such a move is "unlikely" even though he isn't closing the door on anything.
If Rooney is true to his word, that means Pickett will probably be back in 2024 despite the 2022 first-round pick throwing a total of 13 touchdowns and 13 interceptions over his first two seasons.
The arrival of Smith could potentially help Pickett turn things around, but Tannehill would give the Steelers a solid option to pivot to if Pickett once again fails to establish himself as the starter.
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