The Tennessee Titans reportedly swung for the fences early in the 2011 NFL free agency period, offering Matt Hasselbeck what's been deemed as a "large contract." Hasselbeck hit the market on Tuesday morning after failing to agree to terms with the Seattle Seahawks ahead of the NFL lockout. Over time, the Seahawks feelings for Hasselbeck have cooled, with many analysts hypothesizing that there's no chance he returns to Seattle.
According to National Football Post, the Hasselbeck bidding war has begun, and the Titans, Seahawks, and others are in play.
The Seattle Seahawks would like to bring him back –- and losing Hasselbeck would put them in the market for an experienced player – but according to former NFP columnist Mike Lombardi, now of the NFL Network, the Tennessee Titans are making a strong push for Hasselbeck. That’s not a surprise.
Seattle Times Seahawks reporter Danny O'Neil ran down the list of potential suitors, including two other NFC West teams and a surprise team in the mix.
He is an unrestricted free agent, the top quarterback in the class, and while it's early -- just the first hour when teams can contact players -- the list of teams in play are Seattle, Arizona, San Francisco, Tennessee and Miami. Those are listed in no particular order.
The Titans are looking for a veteran quarterback to groom Jake Locker and take the pressure of their franchise rookie. Arizona and San Francisco each have serious quarterback issues, as we all saw up-close last season. The Seahawks still need some kind of veteran presence at quarterback, and don't seem to be ruling anything out yet. But it's early, and all indications are teams have begun to put out feelers on Tuesday morning.
For the latest on free agency, including players to watch and Seahawks transactions, stay with this StoryStream. For full coverage of the Seahawks free agency moves, head over to Field Gulls.