Jake Locker might be "the guy" for the Tennessee Titans, but that does not extend past the upcoming 2014 season. The quarterback is at a real crossroads with the franchise and must perform well in order to stay on. The team is not talking contract extensions with their former first-round draft pick and one more average season will see him on the free agent market. So while the coaching staff continues to endorse the quarterback, they are exploring all draft options.
Ken Whisenhunt is making sure everyone knows that Locker is the starting quarterback for 2014. Currently rehabbing a Lisfranc injury, Locker is expected to be healthy at the start of the season. With new head coach Ken Whisenhunt at the head of the team, many believe he is ready to move on from Locker and bring in his own guy for the future. Whisenhunt told reporters that he is fine with Locker, but is not shying away from targeting draft options.
"To be honest, I haven't really thought about it that way," Whisenhunt said, via the Tennessean. "I am excited about the little bit of time I have spent with Jake. He exhibits a lot of the qualities I like. He has been great in the meeting rooms, I like the way our exchanges have gone. So our focus is on that. It is a make-or-break year for a lot of guys in the league. Jake is one of the guys. That is the nature of this business. He just happens to play a position that gets a lot of attention."
Tennessee is not picking up the fifth-year option on Locker right now. They need to see how he returns after the injury and whether there has been any improvement in his skillset. Naturally, a backup plan is being put in place. The Titans make their first selection at No. 11 and unless some miracle occurs and Johnny Manziel is there waiting, the Titans will hold off on making a quarterback selection until the second or third round depending on how things shape up.
The Titans have glanced the ways of Manziel and Blake Bortles, but appear to be favoring quarterbacks like Zach Mettenberger and AJ McCarron in a later round. That would give a chance for either rookie to develop for a year and possibly see some playing time depending on the status of Locker. Then after the 2014 season, the Titans are in a better position to improve the offense for the future.
