The Tennessee Titans are taking a big risk by agreeing to name San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh as their next head coach, as his failed stint with the New York Jets brought into question his ability to get the most out of a quarterback.
The Saleh hire can only work if he hires a great offensive coordinator that can take Cam Ward from good to great. Based on the initial list of coordinators the team has some interest in, Saleh could either nail it or flounder in much the same way he did when he was with the Jets.
The initial list of candidates for the OC role included two Saleh buddies in Packers coordinator Adam Stenavich and Dolphins assistant Bobby Slowik, as well as well-regarded names like Kliff Kingsbury and Brian Daboll. However, one of the final five names on the initial list of candidates will get fans even more irritated than before.
Tennessee is reportedly considering bringing back Arthur Smith, who spent the last two seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers, as offensive coordinator. It goes without saying that this would be an incredibly destructive move by Saleh, as Smith has now shown he can elevate a player with Ward's skill set in years.
Arthur Smith among finalists for Titans offensive coordinator role
Smith was an excellent coordinator for years in Tennessee, but the Titans need to look at his more recent results. The Steelers had two very different offenses in the last two seasons, but neither of them were overly effective despite their postseason appearances.
Smith has a great deal of control over the offense when he was the head coach of the Atlanta Falcons, and his efforts led to him winning seven games in three consecutive seasons. He was better than most of Mike Tomlin's coordinators in Pittsburgh, but that isn't saying very much.
Kingsbury and Daboll would be tremendous quarterback-focused hires that can supercharge the passing game. Saleh has familiarity with Slowik, who helped CJ Stroud win rookie of the year after a stint in San Francisco, and Stenavich, who could finally call plays after years as the OC for Saleh's buddy Matt LaFleur in Green Bay.
Smith, however, would be both forcing nostalgia on a fanbase trying to move forward and opting for experience over someone who might be better suited for the task of getting Ward to be as productive as possible in his sophomore season.