Tennessee Titans Key Positional Battles: Quarterback

We're just months away from the kickoff of the 2009 NFL season.

As training camp approaches, it's time to look at the positional battles, as I make my predictions as who makes the team, who gets cut, and where they will end up on the depth chart.

Today, I will be looking at the quarterback position: Kerry Collins vs. Vince Young.

In what I feel will be the most exciting battle in the offseason, Vince Young will battle out current starter Kerry Collins for the starting job. 

Jeff Fisher has made it clear that the position is up for grabs, and even though one would think with Kerry's new two-year, $15 million contract that he will be the starter, you can't count out Vince.

When thinking about this battle, I think back to the 2006 season when the Titans drafted Vince Young with the third overall pick, hoping for a new franchise quarterback.

Kerry started the season with the starting role, but soon lost it to Vince after his horrific performance in the first three games, completing only 46 percent of his passes for one touchdown and six interceptions, starting the Titans with an 0-3 start.

Though the Titans coaching staff didn't want to place Vince in the starting role so soon, they felt they had no choice, and in week four, we finally got to see Vince take the field.

Though the Cowboys trampled over them, Vince bounced right back, bringing the 0-4 Titans to an 8-8 finish, falling just one win shy of the playoffs, and Vince went on to win Rookie of the Year.

In 2007, Vince started again, leading the Titans to the playoffs, but for the second year in a row, he threw more interceptions than touchdowns. That's when the critics started bashing him.

With all the negative criticism, it's no wonder he had an emotional breakdown during the 2008 season, and after Vince's poor performance and injury in game one, Kerry regained his starting roll, leading the Titans to a 13-3 record, a first round bye, and home field advantage through out the playoffs.

Looking back at the past few seasons, it's obvious that the coaching staff have quite a decision on the hands. The No. 1 question on my mind is, has Vince really matured?

Reports came out that Vince just didn't care anymore and was bored of playing the game, but he later cleared up those remarks saying: that was the past,and this is now, and he will do anything to win back his starting role.

After talking to Vince down in Florida this past month about how he's doing this offseason, he gave me the response any coach or fan wants to hear.

"I'm doing great," Young said. "Working hard, reviewing opposing teams defenses, and hoping to regain my job."

He's either a great liar or he really has matured.

Kerry may have had the best season of his career, but I still feel it was a fluke.

He's aging, and in my opinion, he just doesn't have enough juice left in him. For that reason, I feel Vince will be the starting quarterback for the 2009 season.

Here's how I feel the depth chart will look:

1. Vince Young

2. Kerry Collins

3. Patrick Ramsey (if needed)

Cut: Alex Mortensen