NFL Rumors: Kevin Byard, Titans Agree to Restructured Contract amid Trade Buzz

The Tennessee Titans and veteran safety Kevin Byard have agreed to terms on a restructured deal that will keep him with the team for the 2023 season.

Per NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, Byard will earn $11 million in base salary and can earn a total of $14 million with incentives on the new deal.

It once appeared that Byard could be released or traded after ESPN's Turron Davenport reported on March 17 that the two sides reached an impasse in contract negotiations after Tennessee requested him to take a pay cut.

ESPN NFL insider Jeremy Fowler reported April 15 on SportsCenter that Byard might be open to a trade if the Titans didn't want to pay him his $14 million 2023 salary. However, he still reported for the team's mandatory minicamp in June.

Byard signed a five-year, $70.5 million deal with the Titans in July 2019, which made him the NFL's highest-paid safety at the time. Several other players at the position have gone on to sign more lucrative deals since.

The 29-year-old still has two years and $28.2 million left on his contract, but his $31 million in guarantees had run out, per NFL Network's Cameron Wolfe.

The Titans selected Byard in the third round of the 2016 draft out of Middle Tennessee State, and he has spent his entire seven-year NFL career in Tennessee.

Byard has earned two Pro Bowl selections and two First-Team All-Pro selections during his career. He put together his best season in 2017 when he posted eight interceptions, 16 pass breakups, two fumble recoveries and 87 tackles in 16 games.

Byard is still competing at a high level, and the Titans are lucky the two sides were able to reach an agreement. During the 2022 season, he posted four interceptions, six pass breakups and 108 tackles in 17 games.

Now that he's staying put, the Titans can feel good knowing their anchor in the secondary is going to be back. This comes after they added DeAndre Hopkins to their offense on a two-year, $26 million contract.

Despite making a number of roster moves this offseason to get their salary cap in order, keeping Byard and bringing in Hopkins certainly suggests the Titans believe they can compete for a playoff spot in the AFC South.