Kevin Byard contract standoff: Why are Titans asking Pro Bowl safety to take pay cut?

According to numerous reports, pro bowler Kevin Byard and the Tennessee Titans are at a standstill, as Byard won't accept a reduction in pay. Although the two parties appear to have come to a fork in the road, Byard has always intended to play for one team - hang up his cleats as a Titan.

Byard has a $19.6 million cap hit, which is the second highest on the team behind quarterback Ryan Tannehill. The Tennessee Titans are looking to free up additional cap space, so they want Byard to take a pay cut.

It's understandable why Byard is resisting the Titans' proposal to accept a pay cut. Since making his first appearance for the franchise, he has been superb for them. Byard has featured in every game and was named to two All-Pro teams. He's still playing at a high level after eight years, recording 108 tackles, four interceptions, and six passes blocked in 2022.

The Titans are under the NFL's $224.8 million salary cap, per the OverTheCap, by around $15.47 million, but it's obvious that they're looking to add a few more elements.

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Will Tennessee Titans cut Kevin Byard?

No guaranteed money is still promised to Kevin Byard under the five-year, $70.5 million contract extension he signed in 2019. He has two years and $28.2 million left on the agreement.

The problem is that it would not be financially prudent to release Kevin Byard at this time. The Titans would lose $13.6 million in dead cap money and only gain $5.9 million in salary cap room if they release Byard. The Titans selected Byard in the third round of the 2016 NFL draft. Since his arrival, he hasn't missed a single game and has made two All-Pro teams.

Despite his current price tag, the Titans are in critical need of both Byard's presence off the field and performance on it. Removing him might result in an immediate financial benefit, but the Titans' defense would suffer greatly.

Byard doesn't seem to be in the Titans' thoughts unless he's paid less than what he has proven to be his worth. The team may be looking to make substantial changes to the foundation of the roster, but that would be ill-advised.

For a squad that hasn't had much consistency lately due to roster moves and injuries, Byard is still performing at a good level and has emerged as one of the few mainstays.