Tennessee Titans general manager Ran Carthon is a busy man this offseason. There is just a lot on his plate right from the start of his tenure as the team's new GM, and among the major decisions Tennessee's front office has to make concerns star safety Kevin Byard, who's been rumored to have asked the team for a release.

However, Ran Carthon said that those rumors simply don't carry any weight, per Jim Wyatt of NFL.com:

“I will say this – K.B., nor his representatives, ever asked us for a release. So, that was blatantly false. That's what I'll say about that.” Carthon said he has a “ton of respect for K.B. and we'd love for him to continue his career as a Titan.”

The rumors were sparked when it was reported that the Titans spoke to Kevin Byard about a potential pay cut. Byard had said before that he wants to continue playing for Tennessee, which is also what the Titans feel about their partnership with him. That being said, it's understandable why Byard would not want to be on the same page with Tennessee when it comes to pay reduction.

Kevin Byard has become one of the best players to ever play in Titans uniform. Selected by Tennessee in the third round (64th overall) of the 2016 NFL Draft, Byard has since been selected to two Pro Bowls and earned two First-Team AP All-Pro nods. He is also the franchise's all-time leader in interceptions with 27 picks to his name.