Tennessee Titans OC search needs to move quickly

The Tennessee Titans have absolutely prioritized the offseason in the correct order to this point.

I have been hard on Tennessee Titans HC Mike Vrabel and his “loyal to a fault” personality, but the offseason had to start with firing underperforming coaches like Todd Downing, Keith Carter, Todd Downing, Anthony Midget, and did I mention Todd Downing?

Those moves had to be made regardless of who the General Manager was, but after those firings happened the Titans quickly moved through their search for a new GM. Once Mike Vrabel gave his stamp of approval to Ran Carthon, a deal was done the same day.

There isn’t time to pat themselves on the back for too long though. As of Thursday, one-third of the NFL (10 teams) are looking for a new offensive coordinator. So the Titans are going to need to move quickly if they want to have their pick of the litter.

It should be noted that every team isn’t going to be looking at the same pool of coaches for their OC job. For example, the New York Jets obviously won’t look at Mike LaFleur because they just fired him, but he would be a great fit with the L.A. Rams or Tennessee Titans.

With that in mind, here are the names that have been connected with the Tennessee Titans so far in their OC search as well as some names that might make sense.

Tennessee Titans OC options

Tim Kelly Passing Game Coordinator, Tennessee Titans

Eric Bieniemy OC, Kansas City Chiefs

Matt Nagy QB Coach, Kansas City Chiefs

Justin Outten OC, Denver Broncos (this might be for the OL job, but that is speculation)

Charles London QB Coach, Atlanta Falcons

The only candidate who might have been contacted after Ran Carthon was officially hired is Outten, but it isn’t clear whether this was for the OC job or for the vacant position as the OL Coach. Either way, there are probably going to be a few more names on this list before it is all said and done.

That could mean position coaches from teams that are still in the playoffs, but the Titans are secretive and it is very possible that we never know everyone that was contacted about potentially filling the OC job.

Some names that will probably be considered in some capacity even though nothing has been leaked yet are below.

Names that make sense, but are not officially connected to the Tennessee Titans

Mike LaFleur OC, New York Jets

-Spent time with Ran Carthon with the San Francisco 49ers and he is obviously the brother of former Tennessee Titans OC Matt LaFleur.

Wes Welker WR Coach, Miami Dolphins

Greg Roman OC, Baltimore Ravens

In recent history the only team in the NFL that has run the ball as often as the Titans were Greg Roman’s Baltimore Ravens. Whether that is a good thing or a bad thing is up for debate (definitely a bad thing) but that doesn’t change the fact that he and Mike Vrabel agree that running the ball is the past, present, and future of the NFL.

Thomas Brown TE Coach, L.A. Rams

Brown has skyrocketed up the corporate ladder going from South Carolina’s RB coach in 2020 to a hot name as a potential OC in 2023. He has coached running backs and tight ends with the Rams and he has been name-dropped by Sean McVay a few times as someone that is important inside that organization.

Byron Leftwich OC, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Someone had to be held accountable for Tom Brady getting older and it looks like Leftwich was the one who finally got stuck with that blame. Leftwich has worked alongside Bruce Arians for his entire coaching career and he was the Bucs’ OC when they won a Super Bowl, but how much of that was Arians, how much was Brady, and how much was Leftwich?