Tennessee Titans: 4 Things We Learned from Jon Robinson and Mike Vrabel at the NFL Scouting Combine
The 2022 NFL Scouting Combine is underway in Indianapolis, and Tennessee Titans head coach Mike Vrabel and general manager Jon Robinson are there taking in the action. Both spoke with the media on Tuesday, and we can learn at least four things about the Titans based on what they had to say. 1. Robinson really […]
The 2022 NFL Scouting Combine is underway in Indianapolis, and Tennessee Titans head coach Mike Vrabel and general manager Jon Robinson are there taking in the action.
Both spoke with the media on Tuesday, and we can learn at least four things about the Titans based on what they had to say.
1. Robinson really cares about the Titans
OK, so maybe we didn't just learn this on Tuesday. But our understanding of the depth of Robinson's love for the organization that employs him certainly grew.
Robinson fielded a question in a smaller press session with Nashville media members about what he wants to improve on as a GM.
He started to answer, then paused for over 30 seconds before lamenting the Titans' recent playoff loss to the Bengals, all the while tearing up.
"Pretty long list of stuff that I've got to be better at," he said at the end.
While deep passion doesn't equate to success in evaluating talent, it does matter, at least to an extent.
Beyond that, though, it's nice to see someone in the sports world showing raw emotion like that. Those are the moments reporters live for.
Freshly extended by controlling owner Amy Adams Strunk, Robinson isn't going anywhere anytime soon.
2. Harold Landry Update
Earlier, when his eyes were dry, Robinson provided an update on OLB Harold Landry, whose contract is set to expire when free agency opens on March 16.
"We have had some discussions about that, and we continue to have those discussions," Robinson said. "We’ve got a meeting later this week. We’ve got a little bit of time on the tag decision, and then we have a little bit more time for hopefully a long-term solution, so we continue to work through that."
"He has done a lot of good things for us, but there are a lot of factors that go into that. He has certainly worked hard, and he’s been about what we are about, and we are going to do our best to try to keep him there."
The Titans' current situation with Landry feels entirely different than what they went through with WR Corey Davis and TE Jonnu Smith in 2021.
Back then, it seemed pretty clear from the start of the offseason to when Davis and Smith signed with the Jets and Patriots, respectively, that neither would wind up back in Nashville.
With Landry, it's hard to imagine him not sticking around. He was too valuable to a strong Titans defense in 2021, and the Titans can afford him.
More importantly, they seem eager to get a deal done.
3. Vrabel's Tim Kelly Decision
Vrabel's media availability was his first press conference since the Titans hired Tim Kelly to be their "passing game coordinator."
Naturally, he was asked to expound upon his thought process behind bringing Kelly into the fold. He obliged.
"Jim Schwartz and I had multiple conversations, and I decided to add that role on offense," Vrabel said. "That was something I know helped us, not only during the week but also on game day, someone that had experience and wasn’t looking for any sort of credit or didn’t have an agenda.
"When that person, the right person, became available in Tim Kelly, we were able to make it work. I think we’re still trying to define what that is right now."
It makes sense that Vrabel wanted to add a Schwartz role to the offense since Schwartz helped Tennessee's defense so much in 2021.
Will Kelly have a similar impact? Perhaps. Either way, though, having him around will be a net positive for the Titans.
4. A.J. Brown Contract Update
Star receiver A.J. Brown has just one year left on his rookie deal heading into the 2022 season.
Will the Titans do anything to change that before opening day? Robinson gave an update on Tuesday.
"It is very very preliminary," he said. "There has been nothing really exchanged, but AJ knows how we feel about him, and we know how AJ feels about the football team. We will get to work on that when we can."
Translation: the Titans simply have other, more pressing, priorities at the moment.
They're better off, at this point, spending their energy on extending Landry and evaluating draft prospects.
Eventually, a point will come this offseason when the Titans can start working through a new contract with Brown, who almost certainly will be with the team long-term. That time, however, is not right now.
- Vrabel image: Trevor Ruszkowski/USA Today
- Robinson image: Kirby Lee/USA Today
