The Tennessee Titans have put contract extension talks with Pro Bowl defensive end Jason Babin on hold while waiting on a new collective bargaining agreement to be reached.
The team also plans to offer restricted free-agent tenders to eight players, the Tennessean reported Saturday.
Babin's agent, Rich Rosa, told the newspaper he understands why the Titans would wait to do a new deal. The NFL and the NFL Players Association have been negotiating, but there's little optimism they will agree on a new CBA in the near future, which could spur a lockout of the players.
"The Titans have not closed the door on Jason Babin at all," Rosa said. "We are in very uncertain waters right now with regard to the collective bargaining agreement, and once those issues are cleared up, we are going to address it. That's what the Titans told me. ... We don't know the rules we are going to be playing under."
Babin had 12.5 sacks in 2010, his first season with the Titans and seventh in the NFL.
"Sure, he would have liked an extension by now," Rosa said. "But it didn't happen, and we have to be patient and wait for things to get hashed out, and then we will address it. I have to trust their word on that."
Agent Drew Rosenhaus, who represents fullback Ahmard Hall, tight end Bo Scaife and linebacker Stephen Tulloch, said nothing is imminent with his clients, but the *Tennessean* reported that Hall and Tulloch were among players expected to receive tender offers.
The other players the newspaper identified were guard Leroy Harris; defensive end Jacob Ford; linebackers Colin Allred, Patrick Bailey and Tim Shaw, and offensive lineman Mike Otto. It is unclear if the tags will be binding once a new CBA is in place.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
