Tennessee's GM refused to say Mettenberger is the starter, leaving open the potential to draft Jameis Winston or Marcus Mariota with the second pick in the draft.
INDIANAPOLIS -- In seven games with the Tennessee Titans, quarterback Zach Mettenberger showed flashes of promise. But did he show enough to be a lock as the team’s starting quarterback next season?
Not according to general manager Ruston Webster, who was non-committal about saying the former sixth-round pick is the team’s starting quarterback.
"I was not able to give him that commitment," Webster said. "I don’t think we’re in a position to commit to anything, but he knows we like him. We like Zach, but I’m not ready to commit to anything, including who we pick at No. 2."
At No. 2, the Titans could be deciding between whichever quarterback is left out of Florida State’s Jameis Winston and Oregon’s Marcus Mariota. Webster was adamant that they have to find a quarterback who can play 16 games.
Mettenberger was lost for the season in December after aggravating a shoulder injury. The team has also invested a lot in Jake Locker, a former No. 8 overall pick who could never stay healthy and now enters free agency.
"For us, (the position) has to be settled, and there has to be someone there for 16 games that you can build around," Webster said. "Until you get that quarterback settled, you’re swimming upstream. It’s tough, not that you can’t do it, but you have to be perfect everywhere else."
Titans head coach Ken Whisenhunt knows the importance of having a good quarterback on the roster.
"That’s the thing in the NFL now, having one of those guys. Trying to get one of those quarterbacks that can make a difference like that," Whisenhunt said "Everybody is working to do that. We’re in a position this year where we have an opportunity to get that position settled for us."
Like Webster, Whisenhunt was non-committal about Mettenberger as the team’s starting quarterback moving forward.
"We’re going to compare where he ended the season with these young guys in the draft," Whisenhunt said. "Zach did a lot of good things for us last year. With the way the year went and where we are in the draft, you have to put the time in on the guys that are coming out."
That means putting in extra time on Winston and Mariota. Winston especially may require the Titans do extra background work.
"Any time someone has something off the field, we have to really look into it, but we do that anyway," Webster said. "Obviously we know there are some questions to be answered, and we are going to do our due diligence to get those questions answered to where we feel comfortable."
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