The Tennessee Titans have decided to pass on right tackle Jack Conklin’s fifth-year option, per a report from ESPN”s Adam Schefter.
A couple of years ago, picking up his option would have been a quick and easy decision. But Conklin just isn’t the player he once was — and may never be again.
The 2016 first-round pick started every contest over his first two seasons but tore his ACL in a playoff loss to the Patriots in January 2018.
The injury kept him sidelined until the fourth game of last season, in which he finished with yet another knee injury. He missed a total of seven games in 2018.
Aside from staying healthy, Conklin appears to be on the decline in regards to production and just overall effectiveness within the unit. He posted a Pro Football Focus grade of 66.8, which has steadily dropped. Conklin recorded a PFF grade of 71.9 in 2017, and 80.6 in 2016.
It’s also worth noting that Dennis Kelly outperformed him in his absence at right tackle, and may be the better option at the position.
On top of this, extending Conklin would have been expensive.
Per Joel Corry of CBS Sports, it would have cost the team $12.86M, making Conklin the 13th-highest annually offensive lineman in the league.
With all the question marks regarding the lineman’s ability to stay on the field and produce, such a price tag just can’t be justified. General manager Jon Robinson made the right decision by keeping his options open.
