NASHVILLE – This much we know about the Titans quarterback situation on April 3:
-Starter Ryan Tannehill is back after leading the NFL in passer rating and guiding the team into the AFC Championship Game. He agreed to a new long-term deal last month.
-Marcus Mariota's time with the team is over. The former starter who lost his job last season is headed to the Las Vegas Raiders.
-Logan Woodside is the only other QB currently on the roster, and on two separate occasions this offseason Titans coach Mike Vrabel has jumped on the opportunity to publicly praise him.
Vrabel's most recent chance came during a conference call this week when he discussed how well Woodside handled himself last season while on Injured Reserve.
"Confidence is built through routine performances over an extended period of time," Vrabel said when asked about the team's confidence in Woodside. "The body of work that we have for Logan is through the preseason and through practices. But his grasp … (I) watched him prepare while he was on injured reserve last year, watched him prepare mentally and was very impressed with that, which is something that for a young player you have concern about sometimes. Can he stay engaged?
"But this is a player that was rehabbing while he was on injured reserve, stayed locked in, stayed focused in the meetings and was ready on the gameplan. Pat (O'Hara) would meet with him at the end of the week like he was going to play a football game, which I thought was great. They have a really good relationship. Arthur (Smith) would obviously spend a lot more time with Ryan and Marcus, but from a mental standpoint we would try to prepare Logan like he was going to go play a football game, even though he was rehabbing. So now, we'll see what he looks like physically when we can get him back out there throwing and then we'll make decisions. Whoever ends up being on the roster we have full confidence in that they can go out there and do their job."
Woodside started last year's preseason finale against the Bears and played the entire game. He finished the night completing 17-of-29 passes for 212 yards and two touchdowns, good for a passer rating of 104.4.
In four preseason contests in 2019, Woodside completed 46-of-76 passes for 539 yards, four touchdowns and no interceptions. His passer rating was an impressive 99.6.
Woodside spent the first three weeks of the 2018 season with the Titans on the practice squad, and he re-signed with the club during the 2019 offseason following a stint with the Alliance of American Football League's San Antonio Commanders.
The 6-foot-1 inch, 213-pounder was originally drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals in the seventh round (249th overall) of the 2018 NFL Draft, and he established program records at Toledo in passing yards (10,514), touchdowns (93), passing efficiency (162.87) and 300-yard games (17) during a four-year career. His 93 touchdown passes ranks fifth all-time in MAC history.
Last month, Woodside posted a video on social media of him throwing with Titans receiver Corey Davis and tight end Anthony Firkser. It was another good sign about his work ethic, and drive to be successful.
It's safe to assume Woodside will have company in his quest to become the team's No.2 quarterback this fall. Some intriguing quarterbacks will be available in this month's NFL Draft, and some veterans remain on the market in free agency.
But we also know this: Vrabel likes him.
"Logan Woodside is under contract and I'm excited about him," Vrabel said from the NFL Combine in February. "We're going to keep working with Logan and then continue to add pieces to strengthen our roster, especially at that position.
"Logan was a player we felt very good about. He's put a lot of work in, he's gotten stronger. He studied throughout the year and was prepared, even though he was on the practice squad at one point and then unfortunately injured reserve, but watching him study and game plan each and every week when he didn't have to. I know that Pat O'Hara, our quarterbacks coach, and (offensive coordinator) Arthur Smith were impressed by that."
