What does Mike Vrabel’s firing mean for the Titans, Patriots?

The Tennessee Titans fired coach Mike Vrabel on Tuesday, marking the end of a six-year tenure.

Vrabel had winning records in his first four seasons and started 7-3 in his fifth before the wheels came off in Nashville. The Titans lost their final seven games of the 2022 season and missed the playoffs for the first time since Vrabel's first season at Tennessee in 2018. That losing streak would continue into this season before Tennessee ended it. finally breaks during week 2.

Still, Vrabel was 6-18 in her last 24 games, and controlling owner Amy Adams Strunk felt it was time to make a move two days after the season ended.

“As I continued to evaluate the state of our team, I came to the conclusion that the team would also benefit from the new approach and perspective of a new coaching staff,” Strunk said in a statement.

Vrabel becomes the sixth coach to be fired this season.

As Vrabel, 48, finishes his tenure with the Titans with a 54-45 record, ESPN experts weigh in on what the move means for Vrabel, the Titans and the rest of the NFL.

Why make this move now?

The Titans are coming off a second straight down season, and there has been a lot of talk within the team in recent weeks that there would be postseason meetings about the direction of the franchise. It also seemed clear that Vrabel and first-year general manager Ran Carthon weren't on the same page on everything. I'm not sure it's as simple as “one of them had to go”, but Amy Adams Strunk's statement made it clear that a large part of the reason for this decision was to ensure that coach and general manager to be aligned in the future, and that she didn't think that would be the case if Vrabel stayed. So, knowing this, you take the step now so that you can continue your search. -Dan Graziano

How desirable is this work? What roster issues will the new coach face?

This is clearly a halfway job. It offers some upside potential, but it's clearly a rebuild with chances for growing pains in the first year. The team's strength lies in the defense, particularly the defensive line, but Tennessee could lose several key pieces to free agency, including tight end Denico Autry, linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair and corner Sean Murphy-Bunting and Kristian Fulton. The offense is allergic to high passing yardage, the offensive line needs a major overhaul, and the receiver position hasn't been good enough since the AJ Brown trade. All of this calls for an offensive-minded head coach to receive strong consideration.

Rookie quarterback Will Levis has shown promise, but he needs more support around him, particularly along the offensive line. If nothing else, the NFL is built to rebuild quickly, and the Titans are expected to have more than $85 million in cap space, according to Roster Management System. With some careful free agency moves – as well as a productive draft – Tennessee can be on the right track. And the new head coach can help revamp the roster, which will be attractive to some, if reasonable patience is promised. — Jeremiah Fowler

If the Patriots job opens up, should we expect Vrabel to be a candidate?

Yes. Vrabel was inducted into the Patriots Hall of Fame earlier this season. He has an affinity for the organization, and the organization has an affinity for him. And if you're thinking, “Well, none of Bill Belichick's coaches were successful,” you'd be right, but… Vrabel didn't coach under Belichick. He played for him and began his NFL coaching career in Houston under Bill O'Brien. So this criticism might not apply here. Vrabel is a very good head coach who I think will be a candidate for several positions. And linebackers coach Jerod Mayo has been seen as Belichick's successor for some time and could get the job if Belichick leaves. But if it's not Mayo, then yes, I think Vrabel will be firmly in the mix. — Graziano

Who could the Titans consider to replace Vrabel?

With Carthon involved in the hiring, he could draw on his experiences in San Francisco, where he served as personnel manager from 2017 to 2022. Houston Texans offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik would make sense at this regard. He has been with coach Kyle Shanahan for six seasons and is having success with Houston head coach DeMeco Ryans, also a San Francisco disciple. Another intriguing name is Miami Dolphins offensive coordinator Frank Smith, one of coach Mike McDaniel's top assistants, who was a longtime assistant to Shanahan. I could see someone of that mold. The Titans have made it clear that collaboration will be key, so they will likely target someone willing to align and work closely with Carthon. The defensive pool is a bit stronger, so Tennessee would be smart to evaluate some of the defensive coordinators such as Dan Quinn (Cowboys), Raheem Morris (Rams), Mike Macdonald (Ravens) and Steve Wilks (49ers), who also the Shanahan Tie. –Fowler

What is the biggest need when it comes to drafting?

Offensive tackle. After drafting Peter Skoronski in the first round in 2023 and moving him to guard, the Titans have a huge need at left tackle. They have had 64 sacks this season, which ranks them tied for fourth. In the first round, it is very likely that Olumuyiwa Fashanu (Penn State) or Joe Alt (Notre Dame) will be there at No. 7 overall for this rebuilding offense. -Matt Miller