Nico Iamaleava is gone from Tennessee after self-destructing in contract negotiations. He is looking for his second raise this offseason. Pete Thamel just dropped the news that the two sides have decided to part ways.
It was reported that Nico was looking to improve his NIL from around $2.4 million to $4 million for the upcoming season. Tennessee didn't budge on the demands when the standoff was made public, ending Nico's time on Rocky Top.
While Nico is gone, that doesn't mean Tennessee's season is good for nothing this year. Reporter Andy Staples believes a highly-touted quarterback could enter the portal and head to Rocky Top with the QB1 spot available.
"I bet we're gonna see a QB that we weren't expecting to enter the portal with a 'do not contact' tag," Staples said. "And I'll probably post a checkerboard end zone as soon as that happens."
Tennessee could look to the transfer portal to replace Nico Iamaleava
Josh Heupel had to coach around Nico's flaws in 2024, so if the Vols can add a veteran quarterback to the roster who can dedicate the summer and fall camp to learning the ins and outs of the Tennessee offense, the Vols could, at worst, pick up right where they left off last year.
Staples' insinuation that Tennessee could already have a high-profile quarterback lined up in the transfer portal has social media buzzing as Vol Nation sorts out the Nico drama and who a potential transfer quarterback could be for Heupel and the Vols.
The "do not contact" tag is not often used unless the player entering the portal has already determined where he will be transferring and has a deal in place with that school. That means there could be a high-level quarterback in college football who is itching to get to Tennessee.
It's unclear who that quarterback could be, but it makes for an even more interesting Spring transfer portal period. The portal opens on April 16 and closes on April 25, giving players plenty of time to enter if they choose to leave their current program.