Any Truth In Phillip Rivers To Tennessee Titans ?
By Les Bailey
The one thing you get, when your team is 2-14 like the Tennessee Titans were last year, is speculations, lots of speculation. It’s even more so, when they have the second pick in the 2015 NFL Draft, and there is a franchise quarterback to be had.
We have continued to listen to head coach, Ken Whisenhunt lament the young quarterback he took in the sixth round last year, but we also heard Whisenhunt, and General Manager, Ruston Webster tell us that they were going to do their due diligence with regards to Florida State’s Jameis Winston, and Oregon’s Marcus Mariota.
In fact, coach Whiz even said, after watching the two young QB’s at the NFL Combine last month say, he was going back, and going over every inch of film on Zach Mettenberger for the entirety of the 2014 season.
Doesn’t sound like a ringing endorsement to me!
Then, there’s the trade speculations. Nick Foles to the Titans for the second pick, so Chip Kelly could get his hands on his college prodigy. When Foles was traded to St. Louis for Sam Bradford, the speculation went rampant with Bradford to Tennessee for the second pick. Of course it even gets worse, Foles to Tennessee for Marcus Mariota.
Oh yeah! Drew Brees to Tennessee with the 13th pick because Sean Payton was ready to move on at quarterback, and was looking for a spread option quarterback, like Marcus Mariota.
The last one I heard, actually sounded like something that might work. Phillip Rivers to Tennessee and the San Diego Chargers’ 17th pick.
Why does this make sense?
Phillip Rivers has not been happy in San Diego for a long time. The 33 year-old quarterback has refused to sign a contract extension with a year left on his current deal. He was raised 100 miles south of LP Field, and would be right at home in Nashville.
I think the Chargers would need to toss in a little more, than just the 17th pick to make this deal happen, and if they are looking at Rivers walking after the 2015 season, it makes all the sense in the world.
Rivers is familiar with the Ken Whisenhunt system, after he spent the 2013 season in San Diego, as the offensive coördinator.
The only thing that presents a problem, is Zach Mettenberger. You know that if Phillip Rivers comes to Nashville, he will want to start, and that means Zach would have to sit for a couple of years, and learn. Much like Aaron Rogers in Green Bay, at the end of Brett Favre’s career.
Other than the Titans just taking which ever quarterback that isn’t drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, which I don’t think they will, this would give them an opportunity to pass on a franchise quarterback and have a true bridge quarterback they can depend on, through the rebuild time.
Either Zach Mettenberger steps up to take the job, or you look for a future quarterback further down the road. The 2016 draft, like this year, doesn’t promise a huge crop of quarterbacks, but who knows about 2017?
It’s probably too good to be true, but as a fan, I love this option!
Next: Should Tennessee Focus on a Quarterback Later In The Draft?