Titans Replace Hasselbeck with Ryan Fitzpatrick

When the Tennessee Titans let Matt Hasselbeck go last Monday, it was thought that they were going to have a tough time finding a replacement for him. Now though, ESPN is reporting that it wasn’t that hard after all. They’ve already signed Ryan Fitzpatrick.

Hasselbeck had been playing with the Titans for just two seasons, and in that time brought a great deal of leadership to a club that at the time, was still trying to find their way without Vince Young. But the Titans needed salary room, and Hasselbeck wasn’t willing to budge too much from the $7.5 million he was being paid. So they let him go and, as always, the big question loomed: who would they replace him with?

It didn’t take long to get the answer: Ryan Fitzpatrick, who the Buffalo Bills had let go earlier in March. Fitzpatrick also played two seasons with the Bills, but his performance was about as inconsistent as his time going back and forth between starter and backup for Buffalo. Now in Tennessee, he may have that same battle ahead of him as he’ll be competing with Jake Locker, the Titans’ eighth overall draft pick in 2011.

But Hasselbeck won’t be shedding any tears that he was replaced so quickly. It was just announced that he’s already been scooped up, too — by the Indianapolis Colts. There, he’ll play back-up to Colts starter Andrew Luck.

Categorized in: NFL