NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The theme wound itself through a press conference that lasted over 50 minutes and it will be a key to whether a Ran Carthon-Mike Vrabel partnership succeeds for the Titans.
The power dynamic between the new GM and the veteran coach is going to be all about collaboration, but Carthon views a chief element of his duties as service to Vrabel.
© George Walker IV / Tennessean.com / USA TODAY NETWORK
“I’ve been with multiple organizations and I’ve seen it done different ways, but the best way I’ve seen it done is when the coach and the GM are in lockstep,” said Carthon, who wore a gray suit, light blue tie and Nikes that matched. “It’s my job, it’s our job as scouts to execute Mike and his coaching staff’s vision. I’m not calling plays on Sunday, I’m not designing plays throughout the week. And so it’s our job to bring the right players in here to execute his vision. …
“Our grassroots foundation of football comes from a similar place and we see the game the same way. So I’m just excited to learn those systems, the offensive system, the defensive system and the special team system that he’s put in place and I think having a better knowledge of that is going to help me work with him and build a championship football team.”
Vrabel is currently searching for a new offensive coordinator and offensive line coach and allowed for the possibility that those will come with a new system, so Carthon may be evaluating, drafting and signing players for something different that his predecessor, Jon Robinson, was attempting to fit.
Carthon had at least 13 friends and family in attendance from California, Arkansas and Nashville at the team’s café on the third floor of their new building, and most of the team’s scouting staff occupied tables in the back of the room.
Not many new GMs coming into a team with an established coach would have said much different than Carthon in terms of wanting to feed that coach correct fits. Not many would have said the team was in terrible shape, either.
“We can win football games, but at the end of the year you evaluate your roster, and you’re always looking for ways to improve that,” he said. “That’s what we are going to do here. Although I feel the team is competitive and we’re good, the objective is not to be good, it’s to be great. And so we’re going to continue to work to build a great roster and that’s going to be every year.”
He was non-committal on Ryan Tannehill, as you’d expect, saying it was unfair to ask at this point. Vrabel gave a strong endorsement of the quarterback at his season-ending press conference. Carthon said he needs time to evaluate Tannehill to form his own opinion.
But just 13 days removed from a seventh consecutive loss that ended the Titans’ season that completed a collapse for a team that was long presumed a shoo-in for the AFC South title, it was refreshing and hopeful for a team that is entering some degree of rebuilding phases.
Carthon had his first interview Friday, returned Tuesday for a second interview and was offered the got job while he was at the Nashville airport waiting on his flight back to the Bay Area.
"I believe in his history, I believe where he's been and his pedigree and what he believes about making relationships," Vrabel said.
Robinson was executive vice president as well as general manager, which gave him the power to run the football side of the entire Titans operation. No one holds such a title now, so no one person runs the football side.
Carthon said who has the final say doesn’t matter, again talking about collaboration.
Who has final say on the roster? #Titans pic.twitter.com/CvHvm5QGH2
— Paul Kuharsky (@PaulKuharskyNFL) January 20, 2023
Both Carthon and Vrabel report to Amy Adams Strunk. It’s a setup that will force two men with equal power to work things out between them.
Asked about his vision for the Titans, he smiled and said, “Hosting trophies and having parades.”
Then he turned to what must come before it and his No. 1 thing.
“It’s going to be a grind, it’s going to be a process, “he said. “Like I said, our thing right now is me and Mike developing our relationship. Really me coming into the building and learning what’s in place and how I can add value…”
"I can be the greatest talent evaluator of all time, but if I can’t bring Mike the players that he needs to fit his system, then it’s not going to work. We’re not here to collect talent. We’re here to build a team.”
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