The Tennessee Titans’ new general manager, Ran Carthon, held a press conference on Tuesday, his first since being introduced back in January. .
We also heard from head coach Mike Vrabel and new offensive coordinator Tim Kelly on a day that was filled with several notable headlines.
Carthon ultimately touched on several key topics throughout the day while simultaneously keeping his cards close to his vest.
One of the few topics that the Titans’ general manager discussed rather openly surrounded last year’s rookie quarterback, Malik Willis.
Here is what Carthon had to say, per Jim Wyatt of the Titans’ official website:
“The one thing I talked to Malik about was to continue to grow as a quarterback, and that is not just throwing the ball,” Carthon said. “A quarterback is so much more mental than it is physical, and from that standpoint I just talked to him about being able to lead the locker room, being able to have that presence, and continuing just to reach out to some of the greats in our games, and guys that (could) help him.”
He also noted that Willis has been reaching out to mentors outside the building to help him mature as an NFL quarterback, saying:
“He’s (Willis) reached out to other quarterbacks in the league to kind of serve as mentors for him, which kind of shows you who he is as a person and where he sees himself and where he wants to go.”
This is a good sign for Willis’ overall development. It shows that he is not only motivated, but he’s also self-aware enough to know that he still has a lot to learn when it comes to being a professional quarterback.
There’s no telling if it will ever click for the Liberty product, but it’s a much-needed sign of optimism after what was largely an underwhelming rookie season for several reasons that were mostly beyond his control.
The Titans’ young quarterback always needed patience and a ton of practice. Instead, he was thrown into the fire before he was truly ready, and the on-field result unsurprisingly showcased just how raw he truly was.
If Willis can ever reach his full potential, it could be a massive game-changer for this franchise. Unfortunately, there’s no telling if he ever will.
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