Titans find themselves between a rock and a hard place following a previous trade
NASHVILLE – Two weeks ago the Tennessee Titans traded starting inside linebacker Ernest Jones IV to the Seattle Seahawks. The trade sent draft-pick compensation to Tennessee along with linebacker Jerome Baker. Baker visited the Titans as a free agent this past offseason, but when the two sides couldn't agree on financial terms for a deal, he […]
NASHVILLE – Two weeks ago the Tennessee Titans traded starting inside linebacker Ernest Jones IV to the Seattle Seahawks. The trade sent draft-pick compensation to Tennessee along with linebacker Jerome Baker.
Baker visited the Titans as a free agent this past offseason, but when the two sides couldn't agree on financial terms for a deal, he settled in to a starting role with Seattle.
After acquiring Baker in exchange for Jones, it seemed like a logical conclusion to draw that he would replace Jones as a starter in the Titans defense. But that hasn't been the case. Former undrafted free agent Jack Gibbens has been playing the best football of his career in Jones' place.
Gibbens was originally given an opportunity to play while Baker adjusted to Dennard Wilson's defense and his new team…But he has taken it and ran with it. Now the Titans are stuck between a rock and a hard place at inside linebacker.
"He's where he's supposed to be. He knows what to do. He knows how to do it, and he finds ways to continue to perform," said Callahan of Gibbens in Monday's press conference. He then threw Gibbens in the same bucket as standout wide receiver Nick Westbrook-Ikhine. "They're the guys that you look at on paper and a lot of times you think that we can find bigger, faster, stronger, better, etc. But I mean, you don't take into account that they're just incredibly smart football players and they know what to do and they're consistent and they're reliable, and those things oftentimes are much more important than your height, your weight and your speed. They keep showing up."
Sunday was a career day for Gibbens against the New England Patriots. He racked up 14 tackles, two tackles for loss, and a sack. He looked so good that the Titans coaching staff admits it would be tough to replace him, even if baker was acquired to be a starter.
"[Gibbens and Baker] are playing the same spot, and Gibby's been given an opportunity and he's determined not to let it go," said Callahan. "Competition is good, and it's hard to replace a guy playing at the level he's playing right now."
On Wednesday morning, Callahan told Titans media that he doesn't have any reason to balance snaps between Gibbens and Baker in Week 10. Tennessee is rolling with Gibbens, which could be a better move for both short-term and longterm success. Baker is set be an unrestricted free agent in the offseason. Gibbens will be a restricted free agent that the Titans could bring back.
Also keep in mind that Gibbens was in line to start all offseason, but was replaced at the end of training camp when Ernest Jones IV was traded to the Titans from the LA Rams.
As hard as it might be to trade for Baker and not play him on Sundays, Brian Callahan always likes to say that it's a results based league. And the results the Titans have been getting from Gibbens lately are worthy of him retaining the starting job.