With the Tennessee Titans naming former Passing Game Coordinator (2022) and former Houston Texans offensive coordinator (2019-2021) Tim Kelly as the team's next offensive coordinator on Tuesday, the way the Titans managed Todd Downing in 2022 becomes even more puzzling.

It had been rumored for much of the 2022 season that Kelly was on staff in Tennessee as the "coordinator in waiting" should things not work out with Downing. While it was never fully clear what role Kelly had on the Titans' coaching staff in 2022, he would spend most of his practice days working in with the tight ends and tight ends coach Luke Steckel during the individual period.

The Titans' elevation of both Downing and Arthur Smith to OC from the role of tight ends coach is evidence of Mike Vrabel's affinity for the position on his staff. He has an appreciation for working with tight ends and the way it translates to the OC role by requiring coaches to teach every aspect of offense (pass protection, run blocking, route running, etc.).

Kelly working with tight ends while simultaneously being the next man up for the job makes sense, but it leaves one major concern. In his decision to stick with Downing as the team's OC for the entire 2022 season, Vrabel missed a big opportunity to see what Kelly can be as a play caller in Tennessee's offense. If he had the answers to Tennessee's offensive struggles moving forward, why was Kelly not given a bigger role sooner when your team was still alive last season?

After speaking with Vrabel over Zoom on Tuesday, the answer was made clear: Vrabel did not believe that making the move in season would have changed anything.

"I have to make decisions and I don't know if during the season if anything would have really mattered. I really don't," Vrabel told the media. "What I'm focused on is where we're able to go from here."

When I followed up with Vrabel on why he felt making the transition sooner would not have benefited the team, he restated how his focus was on the future of where the offense can go.

Putting Tim Kelly in as the play caller last season may not have saved the Titans' season. The injuries to Ryan Tannehill and the offensive line would likely have been too much to overcome regardless of who was calling the plays. But it does leave you to wonder why Vrabel didn't find it beneficial to see what Kelly had to offer.

Vrabel also told the media that "hearing how Kelly would have done things and what he would like to change going forward" gives him confidence in the Titans offense bouncing back. But he didn't care to see that plan in action during 2022?

It's hard to say if it truly would have made the difference. Not seeing Kelly as the Titans' play caller in 2022 is not an indictment on his ability as a coordinator and should not effect the way this hire is viewed.

It is, however, a puzzling missed opportunity to get a taste of Kelly's vision for this offense.

Image via George Walker IV / Tennessean.com-USA TODAY NETWORK