Titans camp setup: New coaches must move Mariota to next level

NASHVILLE -- Out with the old and in with the new. That seems to be the mantra around the Tennessee Titans for 2018. And while changes around the NFL are constant every season, the fact that the Titans are starting over with a new coaching staff for a team that was one of the final eight standing in 2017 is quite unusual. General manager Jon Robinson decided that the Titans had in his estimation gone as far they could under the leadership and coaching philosophies of Mike Mularkey and his staff. While Mularkey's approach was huge in helping to turn around a losing culture that had permeated the organization for several years and through several coaching regimes, his stubbornness in clinging to Terry Robiskie's run-based, conservative offense in the midst of a changing NFL proved to be the impetus for change. In replacing Mularkey, Robinson tapped someone he was familiar with from his time in New England, hiring Mike Vrabel, who is only seven years removed from being a player himself, and brings the type of intensity and hands-on approach to coaching that is hard not to notice on the practice field. Vrabel's intense attitude has reflected in everything he has touched within the organization thus far, from his coaching style even down to his media sessions. The biggest thing that Vrabel will be charged with doing -- something that Robinson said would be an emphasis with whoever was the Titans new coach -- is to operate an offense around the skill set of quarterback Marcus Mariota while still protecting him from injury. Mularkey's offense was based around the running of DeMarco Murray, who was released in the offseason and later opted for retirement. Vrabel and the Titans will now tailor the offense around a West-Coast style passing attack with Matt LaFleur at the controls. LaFleur was one of the other head coaching candidates to be interviewed by Robinson when Vrabel was hired, and Robinson suggested that Vrabel reach out to LaFleur as offensive coordinator. LaFleur held the same position with the Rams last season, as Jared Goff morphed from colossal disappointment as a rookie to a big-time playmaker in his second year. But he did not have play-calling duties in L.A., something that he will have in Tennessee. LaFleur has an eager student in Mariota, even though there were bumps in the road during the offseason as the offense looked sluggish, even in the limited contact drills of OTAs and minicamp. "I think everybody is comfortable, they understand what's expected of them in the offense," Mariota said at the close of minicamp. "Obviously, we can do better, but at the same time I think as we've gotten reps out on the practice field, guys are feeling more and more comfortable." The Titans have some other questions that will have to be worked out, such as who will step forward among the wide receivers, and how will the offensive line jell after a step back last season and the possibility of right tackle Jack Conklin missing time due to ACL surgery. But even with all the questions and the changes, the Titans head into 2018 believing they are building something long-term and that the window of winning is just now fully open.