Welcome to the weekly Tennessee Titans mailbag. Thanks for coming.
@PaulKuharskyNFL has Charlie Whitehurst been the best QB for the Titans this season? #PKmail
— The Legend (@DrusCrew) December 19, 2014
Paul Kuharsky: Statistically, he has. His passer rating of 92.2 is 8.8 points better than Zach Mettenberger and 21.3 better than Jake Locker. Charlie Whitehurst played a solid game Thursday night in Jacksonville. He’s proved a lot to himself and to others, me included, but he’s a backup. Mettenberger is more exciting because he’s more promising and has more upside.
@PaulKuharskyNFL with the talk about high draft choice, how have teams with first two choices performed in following year? #pkmail
— Roger Harper (@TNmediator) December 19, 2014
Paul Kuharsky: We will run through them. But keep in mind a bad team is bound for some regression to the mean. Six of these 10 teams had a new coach in the draft pick’s rookie year. There are way, way more factors than the No. 1 or No. 2 pick in the draft to how a bad team does the following season. And while some guys (such as Andrew Luck) had a huge bearing on their team’s record as a rookie, others were non-factors (Jadeveon Clowney barely played this season).
2014: Houston drafted Jadeveon Clowney, plus-5 wins so far; St. Louis drafted offensive tackle Greg Robinson, minus-1 so far.
2013: Kansas City drafted offensive tackle Eric Fisher, plus-9 wins; Jacksonville drafted offensive tackle Luke Joeckel, plus-2 wins.
2012: Indianapolis drafted Luck, plus-9 wins; Washington drafted quarterback Robert Griffin III, plus-5 wins.
2011: Carolina drafted quarterback Cam Newton, plus-4 wins; Denver drafted linebacker Von Miller, plus-5 wins.
2010: St. Louis drafted quarterback Sam Bradford, plus-6 wins; Detroit drafted defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh, plus-4 wins.
@PaulKuharskyNFL #PKmail What's the first thing you would change about the organization? Anything from top down...
— Brad McDaniel (@the_BMack) December 19, 2014
Paul Kuharsky: The offensive line is what jumps out. But I’m going to go a little unconventional. I think Ken Whisenhunt has to be more flexible. Even in his second season the team won’t be fully loaded with guys who can do what he wants. And even with such a roster, when teams counter his gameplan, we've not seen indications he's the sort of coach who will counter back outside his preferred avenues. What if a draft pick or free agent doesn’t pan out to projections? I'd hope going forward after he assesses 2014, he will adjust, bend and reconsider things far more regularly.
@PaulKuharskyNFL #PKmail is it just me, or does Whiz whine and complain more than any other coach in the NFL?
— Jon Redding (@preds25) December 19, 2014
Paul Kuharsky: I haven’t monitored other coaches’ whining and complaining to give you a fair rating. I don’t find Whisenhunt does a disproportionate amount. He’s done a poor job, but there's no way to win in this area when you're 2-13. Friday on the radio, people were complaining about him not caring about losing (which is crazy talk). You see him doing things I would say show he cares, and you hit him for that. Win two games of 15 games in an NFL season, you suffer on all fronts.
@PaulKuharskyNFL #PKmail if we draft Mariota or Winston, should it be open comp next season or let Mett start?
— Justin (@Jrob529) December 19, 2014
Paul Kuharsky: I do not see them drafting Marcus Mariota. He’s not Whisenhunt’s style of quarterback, and I don’t think he’s going to change that up. Jameis Winston has serious baggage and maturity issues. But I’ll play along. If one of those guys lands in Nashville, he’d have to have a chance to start if he played the best in camp and the preseason. The clock on him begins ticking the moment Roger Goodell announces his name from the draft podium.
@PaulKuharskyNFL how much stock are you putting in the Cutler to Nashville rumors. #PKmail
— Adam Melancon (@adam_melancon) December 19, 2014
Paul Kuharsky: None.
The idea that, with a game left in the season, they have any sort of verdict about what they are doing at quarterback next season is way off. They will review Mettenberger’s work and decide from there. Free agency doesn’t open until March 10, which is when the trade market reopens. The draft starts April 30.
Easy dot-connecting puts Jay Cutler in Tennessee. It's too easy and far too early. They'll discuss him and all their options at some point. Hopefully they can see what's clear: He wouldn't solve their problems.