Sources: Titans' Byard declines to take pay cut
It appears the Tennessee Titans and Kevin Byard are at a crossroads.
Tennessee asked the two-time All-Pro safety to take a pay cut, but he declined, sources told Jordan Schultz, theScore's NFL insider.
Sources: #Titans asked Kevin Byard to take a pay cut, to which he declined. The 2x All-Pro safety has always planned to retire a Titan. Bottom line: KB feels that his play simply does not warrant a reduced salary.
— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) March 17, 2023
Byard, a cornerstone of the Titans' defense, has started every game for Tennessee since 2017, averaging 94 tackles, nine pass breakups, and four interceptions per 17 games throughout his career. He entered the league as a third-round pick in 2016.
The 29-year-old has two years left on his contract after inking a five-year, $70.5-million extension in 2019 and a base salary of $13.6 million this season. Tennessee will free up $14.1 million in cap space if it releases Byard with a post-June 1 designation.
In January, the Titans hired Ran Carthon as general manager to replace Jon Robinson.