The Tennessee Titans will now begin their search for a new head coach after the team decided to fire Mike Vrabel on Tuesday.
Whatever your opinion is of the move, the Titans have to make sure they get this right — and that’s especially true with so much riding on the development of quarterback Will Levis.
The Titans simply cannot go down the same road they did with former No. 2 overall pick and quarterback, Marcus Mariota, who saw three different head coaches and five different play-callers during his failed stint in Tennessee.
Of course, I’m not going to pretend that was the only reason Mariota didn’t pan out, but the kind of situation he had here in Tennessee is the absolute worst one possible for a young signal-caller.
Titans GM Ran Carthon is now in charge of the coaching search. Carthon has outstanding relationships around the league and is viewed in the building as a leader who understands collaboration. The search begins.
— Dianna Russini (@DMRussini) January 9, 2024
The Titans do have a positive situation for a new head coach to step into. The roster needs a lot of work, but the Titans are armed with a high draft pick and about $71 million in cap space, per Over the Cap.
When it comes to finding their next head coach, the Titans should prioritize finding an offensive-minded one who can get the most out of Levis, at least in my humble opinion.
Here are some potential candidates who fit the bill, along with a slew of others to keep an eye on.
Texans OC Bobby Slowik
Slowik has done a sensational job in his first season as OC with the Texans, and he’s definitely had a hand in the rapid ascension of likely Offensive Rookie of the Year, Houston quarterback C.J. Stroud.
Slowik has ties to general manager Ran Carthon from their days together in San Francisco and he’d be taking over an offense that needs plenty of help but has a solid foundation with a promising young signal-caller in Levis.
If you ask me, Slowik should be considered the early favorite, assuming he has interest in Tennessee, which certainly isn’t a given.
Lions OC Ben Johnson
Johnson has been the hottest name in the league for a few years now after helping to resurrect the Detroit Lions, a team that has ranked top five in points and top five in passing in each of the past two seasons.
The problem, however, is that Johnson may be seeking an obscene amount of money. According to reports, Johnson’s asking price is $15 million per year, which would immediately put him in the top five in the NFL.
Assuming that’s true, that price might be too rich for the Titans’ blood.
Commanders OC Eric Bieniemy
Bieniemy is still technically employed by the Commanders, but that figures to change after the team fired Ron Rivera recently.
Bieniemy had tons of success as the offensive coordinator with the Chiefs, although he did have Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid around. Kansas City’s offense has been a shell of itself this season, but that decline started when Bieniemy was still there.
I’d argue the more impressive job was in Washington, where second-year signal-caller Sam Howell thrived for the majority of the season with Bieniemy calling the plays.
Michigan HC Jim Harbaugh
Harbaugh is fresh off a national title at Michigan and reports suggest his next step will be going back to the NFL, where he’s already had success as a head coach.
Over four years with the 49ers, Harbaugh tallied a 44-19-1 record and never had a losing season. Three of those campaigns ended in the NFC title game, and he made one unsuccessful trip to the Super Bowl.
His primary quarterbacks over those four years? Alex Smith and Colin Kaepernick.
The concern would be with the amount of power Harbaugh wants. There was a power struggle in San Fran with former general manager Trent Baalke, and a head coach wanting a lot of power would go against the collaboration Amy Adams Strunk has made it clear she’s aiming for.
ex-Falcons HC Arthur Smith
Here’s a familiar face.
Smith was the Titans’ offensive coordinator from 2019-20 and oversaw one of the best offenses in the NFL from Week 7 of the 2019 campaign through his final season in Nashville.
However, that offense was centered around the run game and a superstar running back in Derrick Henry, who appears unlikely to return in 2024. Instead, next year’s offense will almost certainly be more reliant on the passing game and Levis.
Smith didn’t have anywhere near the same success in Atlanta over three seasons, but he also had an inept situation at quarterback, so it’s hard to say he was the root cause.
Titans coach Charles London
The best in-house solution for the Titans is London, who was both the pass-game coordinator and quarterbacks coach for Tennessee in 2023. London is also considered one of the hot names for offensive coordinator jobs in this hiring cycle.
London played a big role in the development of Levis and would present the Titans with a chance for at least some consistency for their young signal-caller.
However, London making the jump from his current position all the way to head coach is a long shot. Even still, his connection with Levis should make him someone the team at least considers.
Other names to keep an eye on
Ravens OC Todd Monken
Ravens DC Mike Macdonald
Browns DC Jim Schwartz
Buccaneers OC Dave Canales
Dolphins OC Frank Smith
Cowboys DC Dan Quinn
Bengals OC Brian Callahan
Rams DC Raheem Morris
