Titans finally trade QB McNair to Ravens

[jack's smirking revenge]

Jay Glazer / FOXSports.com
Posted: 8 minutes ago

Steve McNair's long-awaited trade to the Baltimore Ravens has finally taken place.

FOXSports.com has learned that the Titans have agreed to trade the quarterback to the Ravens for a fourth-round pick. However, the trade is contingent on McNair passing a physical with the Ravens.

Steve McNair heads to the Ravens where he'll compete with Kyle Boller for the starting quarterback job.

An off-season of turmoil between McNair and the only team he's ever played for came to a head April 3 when the Titans told the 2003 co-MVP he couldn't work out on their property without a cheaper deal because they worried about the liability from a $23.46 million salary cap hit if he got hurt.

McNair won the right to return last week from an arbitrator. But the Titans told him in a letter he had to take a physical before being allowed to work out.

Early last month, McNair and the Ravens came to financial terms on a deal provided the Titans and Ravens could work out a trade, but at that time no trade was consummated.

That deal included an approximately $11 million signing bonus and a $1 million salary for 2006 in a five-year deal that McNair's agent Bus Cook called a pretty good offer. But any trade trade fell through at the time when the Titans called Baltimore's offer "insignificant."

The Titans' last offer was a $3 million signing bonus and a $2.5 million salary for 2006, creating $6.5 million of salary cap space.

The Titans also selected Vince Young of Texas with the third pick overall as the franchise's future quarterback.

[jack's smirking revenge]

What a sad end to McNair's storied tenure as a Oiler/Titan. He should've retired as a Oiler/Titan, having been a loyal player for 11 years. Does anyone else think its sad how he was somewhat unceremoniously dumped for Young? I know the situations aren't totally comparable, but it's kind of like Favre being ditched for Rodgers and shipped off to another team.

Thoughts?

tyler

[Chester Marcol]

The Titans hands were tied with thier cap hell but they definately could have handled the situation a lot better. Good for McNair. Hope he does well with the Ravens.

[Partial]

What a sad end to McNair's storied tenure as a Oiler/Titan. He should've retired as a Oiler/Titan, having been a loyal player for 11 years. Does anyone else think its sad how he was somewhat unceremoniously dumped for Young? I know the situations aren't totally comparable, but it's kind of like Favre being ditched for Rodgers and shipped off to another team.

Thoughts?

tyler

I agree, I thought it was crappy they wanted him to take a paycut after he has restructured a ton of times already for them. Ridiculous!

[red]

that is sad. what kind of cap hit do the titans take? is it huge?

ah, i found it

14 million dollar cap hit this year, but its 9 million less then if they would have kept him

there is that new cba rule where a guy can be traded after june 1st and the cap hit can be spread over 2 years like a june 1st cut. i wonder if that will happen here?

[KYPack]

The Titans have certainly botched the cap in the last few years. Once again, it points up the danger if the coach has too much say in the cap management and roster make-up. Fisher is the de-facto GM down there and he has kept his guys too long and allowed the cap to be screwed up.

I do think it's bad. McNair should have retired as an Oilertitan, but that whole franchise has a bastard history, so maybe it's appropriate.

I like McNair. Big tough guy who never gives up. Worked his way to the big time and is a stand up guy. He deserves better

[jack's smirking revenge]

there is that new cba rule where a guy can be traded after june 1st and the cap hit can be spread over 2 years like a june 1st cut. i wonder if that will happen here?

That's a very interesting new rule. Definitely allows teams to get out of cap trouble more easily if they have an heavy anchor tied to their team. Sure, it hurts either way, but a $2.5 million cap hit is easier than $5.0mil---a player or two could be signed/resigned with that rule change.

tyler

[Deputy Nutz]

It was a ridiculous cap number, that neither the Titans or McNair's agent should have agreed to.

Having a number like that makes it impossible for a player and a franchise to remain loyal to each other.

Favre has never had a cap number over 15 million. There is a reason for that.

[jack's smirking revenge]

It was a ridiculous cap number, that neither the Titans or McNair's agent should have agreed to.

Having a number like that makes it impossible for a player and a franchise to remain loyal to each other.

Favre has never had a cap number over 15 million. There is a reason for that.

Very true. On a side note, I'm glad you went back to the Marv avatar Nutz. It's badass.

tyler

[Guiness]

Thoughts?

tyler

Thoughts? Why the hell did Balt pay him $11mil??? Wow.

So, I kept seeing that they would take a $23mil hit if he got hurt. Is that the same as saying his cap number for '06 was $23mil?

Then I saw this:

He is under contract for 2006 and scheduled to make $9 million in salary with a $1 million non-exercise fee due by Sept. 1

which tells me the prorated part of his bonus is $13 mil, or there some Whale-like balloon payment no one is mentioning. I find this all very odd, and it seems we're not getting the full story.

[retailguy]

Then I saw this:

He is under contract for 2006 and scheduled to make $9 million in salary with a $1 million non-exercise fee due by Sept. 1

which tells me the prorated part of his bonus is $13 mil, or there some Whale-like balloon payment no one is mentioning. I find this all very odd, and it seems we're not getting the full story.

Not exactly. The remainder is the cap charges from prior years from all the "simple" restructures he's done to help the cap. The "restructures" finally caught up with the titans, and they essentially wanted McNair to "pay" for them by taking a pay cut.

While I agree that McNair is getting older, reducing the "cap" charge was NOT HIS PROBLEM. That belongs to Floyd Reese and the rest of the front office. Simply put, the market was willing to "pay" McNair so why would he take a pay cut? Just really poor cap management....

[KYPack]

It was a ridiculous cap number, that neither the Titans or McNair's agent should have agreed to.

Having a number like that makes it impossible for a player and a franchise to remain loyal to each other.

Favre has never had a cap number over 15 million. There is a reason for that.

Yer right, Nutz.

McNair's agent is Bus Cook He is getting pretty heavy criticism for his handling of this whole deal. Brett's contract was set up right. Big Steve's was a trainwreck & he's paying for that now.

Cook did a good job for Brett, but has led McNair down the wrong path

[GoPackGo]

.::.

I hate the way Steve Mcnair got treated by Tennessee but I am looking forward to his return to Tennessee Sun, Nov 12. I hope he torches them to show them what dicks they are/were

[Harlan Huckleby]

Is McNair still a starter, or has he entered backup speed?

[Scott Campbell]

What a sad end to McNair's storied tenure as a Oiler/Titan. He should've retired as a Oiler/Titan, having been a loyal player for 11 years. Does anyone else think its sad how he was somewhat unceremoniously dumped for Young? I know the situations aren't totally comparable, but it's kind of like Favre being ditched for Rodgers and shipped off to another team.

Thoughts?

tyler

I think this situation more closely mirrors Wahles, in that the contract forced the teams hand more than the players ability. I am not at all impressed with how the Titans handled this. I think they could have discreetly gotten a 4th months ago without dragging a class act like McNair's name through the muck.