The Tennessee Titans shocked the entire football world when they traded Jeffery Simmons to the Chicago Bears on Thursday. Mike Borgonzi definitely was not going to make this move lightly and wanted Simmons as part of the long-term future, but between the team's record and the offer they received, they could not turn it down.
The Titans likely are not done there either, as there are several other players they could move before the trade deadline (Nov. 10). A season that once had legitimate excitement for a turnaround after two three-win campaigns is looking like it will have a similar result for a third straight year.
Clearly, the Titans will not win many (if any) games for the rest of the season. That being said, this adversity will tell us about one of Robert Saleh's defining aspects of his coaching. It will tell us if confidence in him being the right guy for the job is warranted.
Robert Saleh passes his first test with flying colors after Jeffery Simmons trade
Many expected the Titans to get embarrassed by the Cincinnati Bengals following the Simmons trade in Week 8. That didn't occur. The Titans lost an instant classic, 43-36 in overtime after going blow-for-blow with the Bengals' high-scoring offense.
Aside from possessing a strong defensive mind, one of the things Saleh has been lauded for is his ability to lead and keep locker-room culture intact. It is partially why he received a second head-coaching opportunity, and why several of his former players followed him to Tennessee.
Solomon Thomas, who has a deep, extensive relationship with Saleh and was traded to the Titans in March, previously vouched for his coach and mentioned that he never lost the locker room when the two were together on the New York Jets.
Titans HC Robert Saleh is keeping the locker room together after the Jeffery Simmons trade
Saleh now faces the ultimate test of his leadership abilities with the bonafide leader of the roster being dealt in the middle of the season. Simmons was not just the face of the franchise, he was the only player left giving them any form of legitimacy and identity at this point in time, and now he is gone. The response against the Bengals was excellent.
After the Simmons trade, Borgonzi and Saleh pointed to other players on the roster who can step up and take the reins, but none of them will replace what Simmons brought to the team.
Some of the younger players could eventually grow into strong leaders, but from now throughout the end of the season, it will be on Saleh to rally the troops and keep them together. Fans just want to see a team that is playing hard and fighting while showing tangible improvement in certain areas. That's precisely what we saw versus the Bengals.
To Saleh's credit, several of the Titans' games this year have been competitive while showcasing marginal improvements, despite the 1-7 record. It was also reported that they had a very successful practice hours after the Simmons trade, which would reflect well on Saleh and the state of the locker room.
If Brian Callahan were still the coach right now, the Titans would almost certainly crumble and look like a team that has quit. But they hired Saleh for the sake of not letting that happen. If he is truly different, he will have the team playing with fire and with heart no matter the win-loss record.
They showed that on Sunday against Cincinnati. It's an encouraging sign moving forward.
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