Vrabel Making Changes to Staff

NASHVILLE -- At least four coaches on the Tennessee Titans’ 2021 staff are no longer with the team.

Inside linebackers coach Jim Haslett, assistant defensive line coach Kenechi Udeze, assistant special teams coach Matt Edwards, and assistant strength and conditioning coach Mondray Gee have all been removed from their positions, a source confirmed Tuesday.

Brent Dougherty of 104.5-FM was the first to report Haslett and Udeze, and Buck Reising of 104.5-FM was first on Edwards.

Haslett is clearly the biggest name of the four. He is a former head coach of the New Orleans Saints, a former interim coach of the St. Louis Rams, and a defensive coordinator in New Orleans, Pittsburgh, St. Louis and Washington. He coached the Titans’ inside linebackers the past two seasons.

Under Haslett, linebacker David Long blossomed into an impact starter this season, posting 75 tackles – including four for loss – in just 10 games. A sixth-round pick in 2018, Long also intercepted two passes and totaled six passes defensed. In addition, inside linebacker Zach Cunningham seemed to make a quick transition into a starting role for the Titans, after he was claimed off waivers in December.

On the down side, it probably didn’t help Haslett’s cause that the development of two others, Rashaan Evans and Jayon Brown, seemed to stall the last two years. Evans, the Titans’ first-round draft pick in 2018, was limited to 12 games because of injury this year. His play was inconsistent and he wound up inactive for the Titans’ playoff loss to Cincinnati.

Brown was limited to 10 games as well this season, in part due to injury. But he was a healthy scratch in each of the last two regular-season games, a disappointing development for the 2017 fifth-round pick who had a combined 202 tackles, two interceptions and seven sacks in 2018 and 2019.

Udeze spent one season with the Titans after one year as Vanderbilt’s linebackers coach in 2020. The defensive line was a strength for the Titans, with Jeffery Simmons and Denico Autry leading a unit that helped the team finish second in the NFL against the run. The Titans’ defense as a whole produced 43 sacks, up from 19 last year.

Edwards spent four seasons with the Titans, serving as a special-teams assistant in 2018, 2019 and 2021. The Titans struggled on kick returns this year, finishing 27th at 19.5 yards per return. The Titans were also 23rd in net punting yards at 40.5 this season.

Gee spent three years in his role for the Titans. His cause couldn’t have been helped by the numerous injuries suffered this year by the Titans, who eventually used an NFL-record 91 players. A number of Titans seemed to have difficulty putting injury issues behind them this year, a group that included veterans Julio Jones and Bud Dupree.