NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The solution to the Titans’ biggest Marcus Mariota problem is simple.

Have the NFL’s best backup quarterback.

(Photo courtesy Cleveland Browns)

To get there, in a year where they see Mariota’s salary bump up $13 million to nearly $21 million, they need to spend even more on the position. Blaine Gabbert is scheduled to make $1.5 million and count $2 million against the salary cap.

The Titans need to move on from him and swallow the $500,000 in dead money left from the $1 million bonus he got in 2018.

Then I think they need to target one of four quarterbacks who I think would amount to a significant upgrade behind Mariota, so that when he's hurt they can still win a game like last year's season finale against the Colts.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Annually, we see mock drafters giving the Titans players they don’t really need.

Why does this seem to happen so often?

Pete Prisco is a friend and an excellent analyst in my eyes. He recently gave the Titans Byron Murphy, a cornerback out of Washington, saying he could start right away for a team that needs to cover better in a division with Andrew Luck and Deshaun Watson.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Eric Reid’s new deal with the Carolina Panther’s screws up the safety market and messes things up for the Titans.

They got Kenny Vaccaro at a discount price in 2018 no doubt – he made $1.08 million, losing out on an additional $18,750 in per game bonuses when he missed three games with an elbow injury.

But after a very good year, he will be looking for at least what Reid got – a reported three-year, $21.7 million extension with a $7.5 million bonus and $10 million guaranteed.

Blake Beddingfield characterized Vaccaro’s year as “much better” than Reid’s.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Let’s call this "The 2019 Titans’ Plan Week" as we piece together a sketch of what the team should look to do as it heads toward a second season under Mike Vrabel.

We’ll start off with some players the Titans need to part ways with.

Derrick Morgan is the team’s second-longest tenured player, the first-round draft pick from 2010. It’s not a hard conclusion to draw that with an expiring contract he won’t be back in 2019 and I have good cause beyond that to expect it will be the case. He’s been a good, not great player for the franchise and a high-quality locker-room guy.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The hypocrisy of ESPN’s firing of Adnan Virk has been an undercovered story this week, and as the more I’ve thought about it the more I’ve felt compelled to chime in.

What really got me churning was Richard Deitch’s excellent podcast with Jim Miller, which I highly recommend, and which is somewhat the basis for this outline of events.

NEW SPORTS MEDIA PODCAST: ⁦@JimMiller⁩ on the firing of Adnan Virk:

Says Miller: “Disney shareholders should be pissed at this.”

Plus, ⁦@GlobeChadFinn⁩ and ⁦@byajperez⁩ on the Super Bowl’s low ratings. https://t.co/utcXGBqboO

— Richard Deitsch (@richarddeitsch) February 6, 2019

Virk leaked proprietary information, which is against ESPN’s rules.

ESPN fired him for it.

ESPN then leaked that Virk had been fired.

Two major things need to be unpacked here.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- A reader-spurred post:

@TitansMCM @PaulKuharskyNFL question for you guys: It sounds like once again the Titans are and will be a "tough D, run heavy" team. Fisher, Munchak, Mularkey, and now Vrabel. Do we have to accept that's all this franchise will ever be? We'll NEVER have a fearsome passing game?!

— Jenks Hero (@JenksHero) February 7, 2019

I'm not sure what exactly "sounds once again" like anything. We have no idea what the team's plan is for player acquisition in free agency or the draft, and while Arthur Smith said he intends to holdover Matt LaFleur's offense, for the most part, I don't believe that offense was initially installed to be run-happy. It wound up that way largely due to circumstances.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Arthur Smith is a big fan of the Matt LaFleur offense and its roots and plans to stick with it as he takes the reigns as the Titans offensive coordinator.

Smith was introduced Tuesday as the OC after his recent promotion from tight ends coach. He replaces LaFleur, who left after one season as the play-caller to become head coach of the Packers.

While he has no play-calling experience, he is not unfamiliar with presenting to the entire offense, last year he presented red zone offense for LaFleur, who was very complimentary of all his work. [Unlocked]

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The Titans 34-10 win over the Patriots at Nissan Stadium was a 2018 season highlight for sure, and Mike Vrabel and his team can head into 2019 knowing it’s capable of beating the NFL’s best.

But the version of the Patriots that won Super Bowl LIII 13-3 over the Rams Sunday in Atlanta was nothing like the one that lost in Nashville.

So Titans fans can say their team beat the champs for sure, but don’t go too far. I actually heard some saying Tennessee could have won Sunday’s game.