Titans' Dream Options to Replace Mike Vrabel as Head Coach After Firing
The Tennessee Titans threw themselves into the NFL coaching carousel Tuesday after they announced the firing Mike Vrabel after six seasons at the helm.
With the move, the franchise appears to be entering a rebuilding phase. The Titans finished 6-11 and will see the pair of Ryan Tannehill and Derrick Henry, two key figures responsible for their string of three straight playoff trips, enter free agency. Henry specifically already bid adieu to the fanbase.
The organizational shift could impact the profile of the candidates Tennessee will seriously consider to replace Vrabel. Hiring Bill Belichick, were he to become available, for example wouldn't make a ton of sense when it could be a somewhat long road back to contention.
Assuming the Titans focus more on a rising young coordinator or a first-time NFL head coach, these are among the targets who make the most sense.
Ravens DC Mike Macdonald
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Moving on from Wink Martindale as defensive coordinator paid immediate dividends for the Baltimore Ravens as they ranked in the top 10 in both yards and points allowed under Mike Macdonald in 2022.
Baltimore has been even better on that side of the ball in 2023. The Ravens ranked first in defensive efficiency, per FTN Fantasy, along with allowing the fewest points (16.5 per game) and registering the most sacks (60).
Especially if Baltimore makes a deep run in the playoffs, it might be inevitable that Macdonald is hired by somebody as a head coach. The Titans might as well throw their hat into the ring.
Texans OC Bobby Slowik
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Bobby Slowik only has one year as an NFL coordinator under his belt, but what a year it has been.
C.J. Stroud threw for 4,108 yards and 23 touchdowns and looks like a franchise quarterback for the Houston Texans. Nico Collins eclipsed 1,000 receiving yards and more than doubled his career output. Tank Dell emerged as a dynamic aerial target as well.
"[Slowik] helped me tremendously," Stroud said to ESPN's DJ Bien-Aime. "He's one of the people I appreciate because he's honest with me. He holds me accountable game in and game out, no matter how good people say [I played] — he always has a coaching point or two to hit, and he's always honest, which I appreciate."
Slowik might be just the guy to help Will Levis turn a corner in 2024.
Panthers DC Ejiro Evero
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There weren't many positives to take from the Carolina Panthers' season, one in which they failed at just about every organizational level. Ejiro Evero's work as the defensive coordinator may not go unnoticed, though.
Carolina was fourth in yards allowed (293.9 per game) and surrendered the sixth-fewest yards per play. While the offense significantly underperformed, the defense was generally a steady presence, and that started with Evero.
"He's going to demand a certain standard. He's going to show you that he holds himself to a certain standard and that he's not perfect," said cornerback Troy Hill, who also played under Evero with the Los Angeles Rams, to The Athletic's Joseph Person. "He's relatable to the players. He's a guy who can understand what's going on but never let it affect who he is as a person. That's what you want. He can lead men."
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Ohio State HC Ryan Day
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This is admittedly a bit out of left field because Ryan Day's coaching stock is at its nadir since becoming Ohio State's head coach. Plenty of Buckeyes fans would happily drive him to Nashville, Tennessee, in the event he's linked with this job.
It's also important to keep things in perspective, though.
Day has proven his bona fides as an offensive-minded coach who can develop quarterbacks. He has worked in the NFL as well, serving as QB coach for the Philadelphia Eagles in 2015 and San Francisco 49ers in 2017. This wouldn't be like the Arizona Cardinals hiring Kliff Kingsbury on the back of having a losing record at Texas Tech.
Day might ultimately be a coach who's better suited to the pro game anyway.
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