3 strengths and 2 weaknesses of Mike Vrabel heading into 2023
• What exactly makes him rise above his peers?
• What's his most glaring weakness?
No. 2: Titans HC Mike Vrabel's biggest strength
Mike Vrabel has put together some pretty good defenses for the Titans
The 2022 season is surely one that the Titans would like to forget, especially after its disappointing ending. That said, there were lots of positives. One of them was that they were able to field a respectable defense (14th in points allowed) despite the fact that they were without their best pass rusher and two of their top running backs, Zach Cunningham and David Long Jr.
You know Tennessee felt good about their defensive nucleus when they chose to use all their picks in this year's draft on offense. Sure, general manager Ran Carthon brought in free-agency reinforcements in defensive end Arden Key and cornerback Sean Murphy-Bunting but the Titans expect last year's group to be much better now that they're healthy. And that's the thing, Vrabel has consistently put together some pretty formidable defenses.
A former linebacker himself, Vrabel has shown his expertise on defense throughout his five-year stint in Tennessee. In that span, the Titans have ranked in the top 10 of points allowed twice, and that's not a small feat when you factor in how much current NFL rules favor offenses.
With a clean bill of health, it wouldn't be shocking to see the Titans' defense rank somewhere between the top 5-10 in points surrendered this upcoming season. Back in Vrabel's first season at the helm, they were third in the league and you could make the case that this year's better than their 2018 counterpart. So even if the Titans aren't able to win many games in 2023, be sure that opposing teams will have a hard time reaching the end zone.