Trevor Siemian? Titans may regret not adding better quarterback behind Ryan Tannehill

No NFL team hopes to use its backup quarterback in a season, unless it's in a meaningless Week 17 game where a club already has its playoff spot locked in or the like. However, injury and ineffectiveness obviously happen, and if there's one team that should be aware of how important a quality No. 2 signal-caller is entering the 2020 season it's the Tennessee Titans. Yet, they appear ready to roll with Trevor Siemian or possibly even Logan Woodside behind Ryan Tannehill.

In March 2019, the Titans traded a couple of later-round draft picks to the Miami Dolphins for Tannehill. He was at least somewhat accomplished insurance for Marcus Mariota, and Tannehill turned Tennessee's season around. Mariota was benched for ineffectiveness in a Week 6 loss in Denver that dropped the Titans to 2-4.

Tannehill took over after that and was one of the NFL's highest-rated QBs the rest of the way in leading Tennessee to a 7-3 record and Wild-Card spot. The Titans also upset the Patriots and Ravens in the playoffs before losing at Kansas City in the AFC title game. For his efforts, Tannehill was named the NFL Comeback Player of the Year and got a mega-extension this offseason.

On Wednesday, the Titans signed Siemian to possibly compete with Woodside to back up Tannehill – who has missed 24 games because of injuries since the start of 2016 season. Woodside was a 2018 seventh-round pick by the Bengals out of Toledo and has never taken a snap that counts in the NFL but, hey, did start for the San Antonio Commanders of the now-defunct Alliance of American Football.

Siemian, meanwhile, was a 2015 seventh-round pick by Denver who became the team's starter for a while. He is 13-12 as one in the NFL but didn't play a down in 2018 with the Vikings and lost his only start with the Jets last year (Sam Darnold had mono) when Siemian was knocked out injured in the second quarter against Cleveland. He was 3-for-6 for three yards with two sacks before the injury. To make room for Siemian, the Titans released former Hawaii QB Cole McDonald, a 2020 seventh-round pick.

One could now make an argument the Titans have one of the worst backup situations in the NFL – maybe only the Rams (John Wolford) have it worse. Inside the Titans' AFC South, the Texans have AJ McCarron as their No. 2 and the Colts Jacoby Brissett. Much better options than Siemian.

Why wouldn't Tennessee look at someone like Matt Moore? He started two games last year for the Chiefs and was 1-1. Or Josh McCown? Blake Bortles? Sam Bradford? Cody Kessler? The Saints had to pay former No. 1 overall pick Jameis Winston only $1 million guaranteed to back up Drew Brees this year. Cam Newton didn't get much more than that to go to New England.

Tennessee is a +175 second-favorite to win the AFC South on the William Hill moneyline odds and has an Over-Under win total of 8.5. The SportsLine Projection Model has the Titans winning a division-best 8.7 games with a 63.7 percent chance at claiming the South. 

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