Ken Whisenhunt to Titans: Jake Locker's Future Uncertain in Tennessee

Monday, the Tennessee Titans and Ken Whisenhunt agreed in principle on a deal that will make Whisenhunt the head coach in Tennessee, per ESPN's Adam Schefter.

The future of Titans quarterback Jake Locker will likely be the first item on Whisenhunt's agenda in Tennessee, as the head coach's success will be tied to whoever is under center for the team.

Locker's initial reaction to Whisenhunt's signing was predictable; as The Tennessean's Jim Wyatt reports, Locker texted him, "I'm excited about the hire and [am] looking forward to having the opportunity to work with Coach Whisenhunt.

"He has always had very successful offenses and I look forward to learning from him," Locker continued (via Wyatt).

Thus far, Whisenhunt has only said a few things about Locker.

Per the Titans' official Twitter account, Whisenhunt said, “Everything I’ve heard about Jake being a student of the game is positive.”

ESPN's Paul Kuharsky was told that Whisenhunt will trust general manager Ruston Webster and Locker's film when evaluating the quarterback.

Also, Jim Wyatt noted that Whisenhunt said he "liked Jake Locker coming out of college, but he hasn't had a chance to evaluate him yet."

None of the aforementioned statements reflect much commitment to Locker, which doesn't bode well for the young signal-caller's future.

Looking ahead, the Titans have the No. 11 overall pick in the 2014 NFL draft. While it's likely that field generals Blake Bortles, Johnny Manziel and Teddy Bridgewater will be gone by then, there's a very good chance that quarterbacks like Derek Carr and Brett Smith will still be on the board.

Carr is an especially good fit in Whisenhunt's high-powered offense; the quarterback has a strong arm and displays great touch on deep passes.

Also, the trade market figures to be littered with talented quarterbacks in need of an opportunity. The Titans could likely acquire one of Kirk Cousins, Matt Flynn or Case Keenum (among others).

The Titans likely won't make any hasty decisions on Locker's future, as Kuharsky reports that all signs point to the quarterback being back in 2014 due to his low salary and organizational ties.

That said, don't be surprised if the Titans bring in some competition at the quarterback position. From Carr to Cousins, there are a plethora of signal-caller options available this offseason.

Look for Whisenhunt to acquire one of them.