The news Monday evening that the Tennessee Titans’ two-week search for a new head coach had ended also showed a desire for offensive improvement may have been a key factor, if not the biggest.
Their new head coach is former Cincinnati Bengals offensive coordinator Brian Callahan. An interesting side note is that Callahan, who has held that position since 2019, did NOT call plays for the Bengals. That stipulation has often been viewed as a critical one for future head coaches.
But what Callahan did do was oversee the development of the Bengals current QB Joe Burrow, along with designing the Bengals offense. In 2021 and 2022 the Bengals passing attack finished among the top teams in multiple categories and were top five in 2022.
When Burrow was hurt this season, Callahan was able to retool his offense around career backup Jake Browning.
Browning led the league in completion percentage and finished second in receiving yards after the catch, an indicator of downfield passing effectiveness.
With second year pro Will Levis set to be the full-time starter, the Callahan pick reflects how important quarterback development is viewed by Titans management. With Derrick Henry most likely headed elsewhere, the offense was already primed to focus a lot more on passing.
Anyone who watched their struggles to score on the road knows the Titans desperately needed an offensive makeover.
But Callahan can’t remake that offense without major upgrades in performance beyond the quarterback spot. The offensive line was dreadful in both pass protection and run blocking. The wide receivers other than DeAndre Hopkins were sub-par, and the tight ends didn’t provide much either.
Callahan has a big task ahead, and it will also be interesting to see how the vision of “collaboration “ between the new head coach, general manager Ran Carthon and owner Amy Adams Strunk unfolds as the draft and free agency approach.
Whatever the case, in their pick of Brian Callahan as their next head coach, the Tennessee Titans hope to move forward and display a new and far more effective offensive identity.
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