NASHVILLE, Tenn. – What’s the fate of Mike Vrabel’s coaching staff?
Ran Carthon said he won’t stand in the way of an opportunity for any of them in the coming weeks if they have a job opportunity they want to accept before the Titans’ new coach is in place.
But once that guy is hired, Carthon intends to present whoever remains to him and allow him to interview who he’d like.
Amy Adams Strunk doesn’t seem wild about who Vrabel leaves behind. Each assistant has one year remaining on his contract.
She said in her statement, "As I continued to assess the state of our team, I arrived at the conclusion that the team would also benefit from the fresh approach and perspective of a new coaching staff.”
Who might a new coach be intrigued by?
Well, quarterback coach and passing game coordinator Charles London arrived with a great reputation and just appeared on Peter King’s list of the next expected wave of offensive coordinators. (As did running back coach Jason Outten.)
A new coach could like the idea of London as a link between the old offense and the new for Will Levis, though I would expect London will be able to find an opportunity with a coach he knows.
While Chris Harris did not see his cornerbacks play very well, he did do good work with Roger McCreary. Harris, too, arrived with a quality reputation and also got a passing game coordinator title.
There was an expectation that he might only be in Tennessee for a season because he’d be wanted as a defensive coordinator.
Terrell Williams’s got the most out of his players in the just concluded season. The assistant head coach/ defensive line coach lost Jeffery Simmons with five games remaining and saw Teair Tart go through a major falling out with the franchise.
By season’s end, Williams had a room of six defensive linemen where the senior-most player, TK McLendon, was on the practice squad through Week 9.
No matter how well-connected, a first-year coach has limitations in putting together a staff. His team has to ask for and receive permission to interview a coach under contract with another team. Generally, you get permission for a promotion, but not always.
Other than that, an initial staff is largely filled out by coaches who come free off of staffs that are disassembled where a head coach has been let go – so far the Panthers, Raiders (who could keep Antonio Pierce), Chargers, Falcons and Commanders. Most of the defensive staff of the Jaguars has also been fired.
A new head coach typically dips into the college ranks for some assistants as well.
Mike Vrabel kept six members of Mike Mularkey’s staff.
Arthur Smith remained the tight ends coach, Mike Sullivan remained as an assistant offensive line coach and Taylor Porter remained as a strength and conditioning assistant.
Craig Aukerman was promoted from assistant special teams coach to special teams coach and Tom Kanavy was promoted from strength and conditioning assistant to strength and conditioning coach when Steve Watterson retired in the spring. Luke Steckel moved from assistant receivers coach to offensive assistant.
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