Ian Rapoport of NFL Media spoke to Joe Linta, the agent for Titans QB Zach Mettenberger, who told him that his client doesn’t want to be traded, despite the reports from Thursday that said he could ask to be dealt.
According to Linta, Mettenberger would just like an opportunity to compete with Marcus Mariota for the starting job in training camp.
Titans GM Ruston Webster told reporters after they took Mariota with the No. 2 overall pick that they spoke to Mettenberger and believe he “embrace the situation” the situation in Tennessee.
“We talked to Zach, and that’s not Zach in any way,” Webster said Thursday about the reports that Mettenberger wanted to be traded, via The Tennessean. “I think he’ll embrace the situation here and he won’t be traded.”
“We just talked before I came in (to the news conference), so he’s up for the challenge,” Webster added. “I think one of the things that was important for Zach to understand is that he built up a lot of good equity with what he did. There’s a lot of potential there, and we’re excited about Zach.”
It’s hard to say that there would have been much of a market for a sixth-round pick, so it’s likely in the Titans’ best interest to keep him, barring a solid offer from another team.
Mettenberger, 23, still has another three years remaining on his four-year, $2.345 million rookie contract. He’ll make base salaries of $510,000 (2015), $600,000 (2016), and $690,000 (2017) over the remainder of the agreement.
In 2014, Mettenberger appeared in seven games for the Titans and threw for 1,412 yards while completing 59.8 percent of his passes to go along with eight touchdowns and seven interceptions. Pro Football Focus has him rated as the No. 22 quarterback out of 39 qualifying players.
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