NFLN: Mike Vrabel Hasn’t Expressed Concern about Titans or GM Carthon amid Trade Buzz

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Tennessee Titans head coach Mike Vrabel “has not approached ownership with any concerns about the structure of the organization or his alignment with general manager Ran Carthon,” according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.

Rapoport reported Vrabel will sit down with team officials at the end of the season for a customary meeting but that the conversation “could raise difficult questions about how — or perhaps if — the sides should move forward together.”

Dianna Russini of The Athletic reported there isn’t yet a plan to have Vrabel, Carthon and ownership all in the same room together:

ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported Saturday there’s a belief Vrabel, the Titans or both parties could be amenable to a separation this offseason.

Some have floated Vrabel as a possible successor to Bill Belichick for the New England Patriots if the legendary coach moves on now. He played for the Patriots for eight seasons, so he’d seemingly be well suited to build on Belichick’s legacy.

The 48-year-old signed an extension that keeps him in Tennessee through 2025 and provided the Titans with a team option for 2026, per Rapoport. Were he to change jobs, a trade would almost certainly have to be formalized.

Russini reported on Nov. 23 that Tennessee “strongly and collectively believes it has the right coach for long-term success” despite at the time the team being on pace to miss the playoffs for the second straight year.

Greg A. Bedard of Boston Sports Journal painted a much different picture only three days later, though. He reported that Vrabel and Carthon “had no previous relationship” before Carthon was hired as GM, adding “it’s believed they don’t have much of one now.”

“League sources believe that Vrabel could be looking for a way to force his way out of Tennessee after this season, and the Patriots would be an obvious landing spot — if not the frontrunner,” Bedard reported.

The New Orleans Saints netted the No. 29 overall pick in the 2023 NFL draft and a 2024 second-rounder in return for trading Sean Payton and a 2024 third-round selection to the Denver Broncos last offseason.

Vrabel hasn’t won a Super Bowl as a head coach, so the Titans may not be able to get that much if they were to trade him. The franchise is positioned to at least get something, though, if the upcoming meeting makes it abundantly clear a coaching change is in order.