Posted by Sabrina B. @gametimegirl
The Tennessee Titans have released Vince Young, cutting ties with the quarterback they made the No. 3 pick overall in the 2006 draft. Â The team announced the move Thursday, nearly eight months after owner Bud Adams said the team would trade or release Young.
Young is 30-18 in five seasons, including a playoff loss. He’s battled questions over his work ethic, leadership and injuries.
With the new labor deal, the Titans had to move quickly to avoid paying Young a $4.25 million roster bonus that had previously been due on the 10th day of a new league year. He also was scheduled for $8.5 million in salary this season, making him too pricey to trade to another team.
The Titans announced in January they would either release the 28-year-old Young or try to trade him because he’s not in their plans for 2011. The team selected quarterback Jake Locker with the eighth overall pick in April’s draft and reached an agreement with former Seattle Seahawksquarterback Matt Hasselbeck Wednesday, according to a league source.
Young cursed at former Titans coach Jeff Fisher and blew out of the locker room Nov. 21 last season. The Titans placed him on injured reserve two days later, and Young had surgery to repair a torn tendon in his right thumb.
Young, selected third overall in the 2006 draft, came in as the successor to Steve McNair. He started off strong, being selected The Associated Press NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2006, and he helped the Titans go 10-6 and a wild-card playoff spot in 2007.
But he was injured in the 2008 opener, and Fisher wound up calling police when Young’s mother worried about him speeding off a day later from his home.
Veteran Kerry Collins, who retired this offseason, remained the starter as the Titans opened 10-0 and earned the AFC’s No. 1 seed that season.
Young came off the bench under Adams’ orders after the Titans started 0-6 in 2009, and the quarterback helped them win eight of their final 10 games. He started eight of nine games in 2010 but couldn’t finish three games because of injuries.
He threw for 10 touchdowns with only three interceptions and a career-best 98.6 passer rating (93 of 156 for 1,255 yards).
The Titans also were set to release defensive tackle Tony Brown Thursday, according to a source. Brown, who has battled knee problems the past two years, had 18 sacks the past five seasons for the Titans.
Information from ESPN.com senior NFL writer John Clayton and The Associated Press was used in this report – FULL STORY HERE