Tennessee Titans' general manager search has begun — and Mike Vrabel has thoughts

Mike Vrabel will be involved in the biggest decision facing the Tennessee Titans this offseason.

The Titans' season ended in disappointment Saturday with a 20-16 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars to finish the season on a seven-game losing streak and hand Vrabel his first losing record in five years as coach (7-10). Now that playoff hopes have been extinguished, focus turns to improving the team in the offseason, and the first order of business is finding a replacement for Jon Robinson as the Titans' general manager.

Titans controlling owner Amy Adams Strunk dismissed Robinson on Dec. 6 just two games into the losing streak, citing higher aspirations than just being a team that makes the playoffs. Speaking through a team spokesperson Monday, Strunk said the process to replace Robinson has been ongoing for at least four weeks. She said she'll lead the search alongside the ownership group, team CEO Burke Nihill and senior vice presidents Adolpho Birch III and Dan Werly.

Vrabel will be involved, too.

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"I’m comfortable with those conversations about being involved," Vrabel said Monday. "I think they’re excited about the group they’re going to bring in and meet with. Once they kind of get through that first process, be involved in whatever would come after that in probably a smaller group. I’m excited about that process and being involved and helping in any way that I can."

What is Mike Vrabel looking for in next Titans GM?

Vrabel said he's had "good, open conversations" with Strunk about the vacancy in recent weeks. He didn't say whether he recommended any candidates or gave directives about what kinds of candidates to consider.

Instead, Vrabel talked about the value of having a trusting relationship with his general manager to collaborate and build the type of roster Vrabel is looking for. He said he still wants the Titans' identity to be smart, tough and physical, but he also gave plenty of areas he wants the roster to improve, ranging from team speed and the preparation required to eliminate soft-tissue injuries to getting better in pass protection, ball security and pass coverage.

"I feel like we’ve put some time in here over the course of five years," Vrabel said. "Obviously it hasn’t been perfect but we certainly have an idea of the type of people. I think you start with the person. You start with the person and then you make sure that the talent and skill set fits. I think it’s about people and who they are, the type of leaders they are and the type of teammates they are. I think you start there."

Vrabel elected not to elaborate when asked if he had that kind of relationship with Robinson before his firing, preferring to keep his focus on the future.

NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport has reported a slew of candidates he expects the Titans to interview for the opening. Interim GM Ryan Cowden and fellow internal candidate Monti Ossenfort are expected to be candidates, as are high-ranking officials from the Buffalo Bills, Cleveland Browns, Chicago Bears, San Francisco 49ers and Arizona Cardinals.

When will Amy Adams Strunk make a GM hire?

Strunk said in her interview with the team spokesperson that she's looking for a GM who is exceptional at talent evaluation, roster building, decision-making, collaboration, the ability to find consensus in a split room, innovation and evaluating talent outside traditional means. Strunk will not employ a search firm to find candidates but said she'll work with a veteran consultant for both searching for and interviewing candidates.

Bringing in a new general manager will create new dynamics for Titans players and coaches. Robinson drafted, traded for or signed nearly every player on the Titans' roster. In firing Robinson, Strunk rebuked Robinson's talent acquisition process. The new GM will have new philosophies on what types of players need to be in the organization and what type of contracts are important to retain or extend.

That level of uncertainty is especially hard for veterans heading into an offseason where the Titans can save cap space by replacing or trading them like quarterback Ryan Tannehill, linebackers Zach Cunningham and Bud Dupree and offensive tackle Taylor Lewan. Or for younger players like defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons or linebacker David Long Jr., trying to earn their first major contract extensions.

Vrabel said he empathizes with that uncertainty, but doesn't think that exists because of one job vacancy.

"As a player there was always uncertainty," Vrabel said. "There’s uncertainty in this business. Whether there’s a GM or there’s an interim GM or there’s no GM, there’s uncertainty. That wouldn’t change if we hired a GM tomorrow."

Nick Suss is the Titans beat writer for The Tennessean. Contact Nick at nsuss@gannett.com. Follow Nick on Twitter @nicksuss.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Here's how involved Mike Vrabel will be in Tennessee Titans GM search