Speculation has been present throughout the 2023 season with respect to Titans head coach Mike Vrabel. His sixth year at the helm of the franchise came to an end on Sunday and it remains to be seen what direction the organization will take.
Reports have pointed to Vrabel and first-year general manager Ran Carthon not being on the same page. With Tennessee set for a significant transition on the field – including potential free agent departures from quarterback Ryan Tannehill and running back Derrick Henry – 2024 could be a logical time to move in a new direction on the sidelines. Vrabel has publicly stated an intention to remain in Nashville, but his fate is yet to be decided.
Vrabel and/or the Titans could be amenable to a separation, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Meetings involving the 48-year-old and the organization’s top decision-makers are set for the coming days, Schefter adds. Discussions at that time will likely provide clarity with respect to where all parties stand. Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports Vrabel has not yet sat down with ownership over issues related to Carthon and the direction of the organization.
As Schefter notes, therefore, this situation is a fluid one worth monitoring. Both Rapoport and Outkick’s Armando Salguero report Vrabel would command a notable trade market in the event the decision was reached favoring a parting of ways. Since Vrabel is under contract through 2025, Tennessee would obviously have incentive to find a trade partner rather than dismissing him. Patriots connections have loomed given Bill Belichick‘s uncertain status, but New England’s next course of action on the sidelines and in the front office remains to be seen.
Vrabel enjoyed a strong start to his Titans career, posting four consecutive seasons with a winning record and making three playoff appearances. Since then, however, the team has gone 13-21 and significant room for improvement exists on the offensive side of the ball in particular. A number of replacement candidates with an offensive background would no doubt be considered in the event Vrabel were to be traded, but the Titans would face competition in that regard from several teams with head-coaching vacancies.
Notably, Dianna Russini of the Athletic reports no meeting has currently been scheduled between Vrabel, Carthon and Titans owner Amy Adams Strunk. Such organizational sit-downs are commonplace amongst NFL teams upon the conclusion of a season, though, so one can likely be expected along the above-mentioned timeline or slightly later. As Black Monday looms, the coaching market around the league will soon begin to heat up. Whether or not Vrabel is involved in it will be a key story to watch.
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