The Tennessee Titans stand at a significant crossroads as they approach the 2025 NFL Draft, armed with the first overall pick. This year marks a new beginning for the popular franchise. They have been looking to find a franchise QB ever since the initial glories of Steve McNair. The Titans know this all too well. They have history with the top 10-ish QB pick, with Vince Young, Jake Locker, and Marcus Mariota. Now, they are looking to end the cycle of inconsistency that has haunted their quarterback position for years.
The Titans’ recent history on making quarterback selections is a draft day graveyard for great expectations gone wrong. In 2006, they chose Vince Young with the third overall pick. Young’s tenure was marked by promise but ended prematurely when the team released him just three months after drafting Jake Locker at No. 8 in 2011. Injuries overshadowed Locker’s career and led him to miss 18 games over his final two seasons. He surprised the political world when he announced his retirement in March of 2015 at the age of 26.
Similarly, Marcus Mariota, selected at No. 8 in 2015, faced his own challenges with injuries and inconsistent performance, leading to his departure from the team. His predecessors with the Titans’ franchise, the Houston Oilers had mixed success with their own third overall pick, Dan Pastorini in 1971. Three-time Pro Bowler McNair’s selection in 1995 was a watershed choice for the young franchise. He led the team into some of its best-performing seasons.
As the Titans look ahead to the 2024 draft, they’re well aware of their misfires. It’s been a disappointing and chaotic three-year run for the franchise. Newly annointed Chad Brinker, the new pres. of football ops., wants to build stability going forward. “We have a chance to add a really good player with the first overall pick,” said head coach Callahan, underscoring the critical nature of this selection.
The Titans are in the midst of a pretty major shake-up of their roster and needs. Consequently, the likelihood of them taking a quarterback first overall has continued to rise. Former general manager Floyd Reese never stopped putting McNair in the midst of Pro Bowl talent. Brinker and his state team are eager to apply that winning strategy. The Titans have done everything necessary to establish a strong support infrastructure for a fledgling quarterback to bloom.
“You want to surround the young quarterback with talent, to provide an environment for him to succeed,” said Borgonzi, who plays a key role in shaping the team’s approach to the draft. He understands the importance of providing resources to a young, new quarterback. Simultaneously, the team had a number of important gaps on the roster that needed to be addressed. “Of course, we’d like to give that player everything he needs, but our thinking is right now, there’s a lot of holes on this roster,” Borgonzi explained.
With Callahan’s hiring as the new offensive coordinator comes new hope, new strategies and new visions that could very well drive the Titans to success. His experience with Patrick Mahomes during his championship seasons with Kansas City under coach Andy Reid provides a blueprint for developing a franchise quarterback. “I’ve been a part of a quarterback picked No. 1 overall coming into a team,” Callahan stated, emphasizing his understanding of the challenges and opportunities ahead.
The Titans’ commitment to building around their future quarterback aligns with Beddingfield’s insights from his time as a scout for the team. “You’ve got to build around that quarterback, and you’ve got to put the pieces in place,” he noted. This philosophy understands that winning is about much more than raw talent. It takes a smart framework, one that encourages economic development while ensuring safety and accountability.
Instability has been a persistent struggle for the twinkie’s namesake organization. “I truly feel like that instability has hurt not only the quarterback position but the ability to compete year in and year out,” former receiver Nate Washington observed. As the Titans look to avoid repeating past mistakes, they recognize that continuity is vital for any new signal-caller’s success.
However, as they near the draft, the Titans certainly know what they have to lose. Make the wrong choice, and they are facing dire consequences for the next couple years at least. The potential market is enormous. Every other member of the organization should be just as committed to providing whatever landscape their next franchise quarterback needs to prosper.
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