Titans coaching search: Mike Vrabel, Matt LaFleur interviewing

The Tennessee Titans are the newest head coaching vacancy and already have candidates lined up.

The Titans joined the group of head coaching vacancies after announcing the firing of Mike Mularkey. It was a surprising move after the Titans reportedly offered Mularkey an extension the day before. The Titans are now one of the four teams left without a head coach but that vacancy may not be open for long.

According to reports from the MMQB’s Albert Breer, the Titans are set to interview Texans defensive coordinator Mike Vrabel and Rams offensive coordinator Matt LaFleur this week.

Vrabel and LaFleur have interviewed for other head coaching jobs around the league and both were first-year coordinators in 2017. They impressed enough to be considered for a bigger role next season.

Vrabel has spent the last four years with the Texans and was promoted from linebackers coach to defensive coordinator this past season. With season-ending injuries to defensive starts like J.J. Watt and Whitney Mercilus, Vrabel salvaged what he could from his unit. The Texans still played beyond expectations on defense considering the number of key injuries.

LaFleur was hired as the Rams offensive coordinator after spending the previous two seasons as the Falcons quarterbacks coach. He did wonders for Matt Ryan and developed him into the MVP quarterback we saw in 2016. His contributions didn’t stop in Atlanta as LaFleur made an immediate impact with the Rams this season.

The Rams finished the season miles ahead of the team we saw the previous year. Jared Goff made a major jump in his second year and Todd Gurley ran completely out of his mind to MVP-like numbers. The league’s highest-scoring offense is set up for plenty of success heading into next season.

Gaging the directions the Titans should go, it seems like LaFleur makes the most sense. The Titans need to hire an offensive-minded coach to help continue to develop Marcus Mariota. He finished the regular season with just 13 touchdowns and 15 interceptions and did not yield the results the Titans were hoping for. Mularkey didn’t help with that cause but LaFleur could change that dynamic given his track record.

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The run game is solid with Derrick Henry as the lead back and as long as Dick LaBeau sticks around, the defense will be solid. Mariota is the priority going forward and LaFleur can bring him to a new level if hired.