UPDATE 1:15 a.m.: Young agreed to a 0ne-year contract with the Eagles per NFL Network’s Albert Breer. He becomes Michael Vick‘s backup just hours after Philly dealt Kevin Kolb to Arizona.
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In a move they telegraphed months ago, the Tennessee Titans officially released QB Vince Young on Thursday, the first day teams could officially cut players.
“As we have said since January, it was time for us to go in a different direction at quarterback and we have done that,” Titans GM Mike Reinfeldt said in a statement one day after Tennessee struck a deal to sign QB Matt Hasselbeck.
Young’s contract would’ve commanded nearly $13 million in 2011.
Even before landing Hasselbeck, Reinfeldt had laid the foundation for the post-VY era by selecting QB Jake Locker with the eighth pick of April’s draft.
A two-time Pro Bowler, Young ended last season on injured reserve with a thumb injury and had a well-publicized blowup with former head coach Jeff Fisher after his final appearance. Titans owner Bud Adams announced after last season that Young would not return, seeming to signal that Fisher would be back, but the coach and team mutually parted weeks later.
The third pick of the 2006 draft, Young had early success in his career, earning a Pro Bowl nod as a rookie. His 30-17 regular-season record as a starter is enviable.
However his career passer rating of 75.7 and completion rate of 57.9% illustrate the holes in his game. Known for his Rose Bowl heroics at Texas, Young lost his lone playoff start for the Titans. His maturity and work ethic were challenged at times by Fisher, and he was benched in favor of Kerry Collins for virtually the entire 2008 season.
