Hasselbeck signs with Titans

By Kshell

One teams trash is another teams treasure. That is exactly what the Tennessee Titans are hoping by signing former Seattle Seahawks quarterback Matt Hasselbeck to a three year deal worth 21 million dollars. The Titans are hoping that Hasselbeck with a good supporting cast like running back Chris Johnson can bring back the Hasselbeck from 2003-2007 instead of the Hasselbeck from 2008-2010. The Titans needed a quarterback as they released Vince Young and they don't want to rush first round pick Jake Locker who they drafted 8th overall in the 2011 NFL Draft. The Titans are hoping with a fresh start they can get new results from Hasselbeck.

With Hasselbeck they have a proven playoff quarterback who has led a team to the Super Bowl. This appears to be a solid move for the Titans franchise as Hasselbeck showed at times last year he still has some game left in him. Hasselbeck has proven at times last year he can still be an NFL starting quarterback and lead a team to a playoff win. In last years 41-36 playoff win over the New Orleans Saints Hasselbeck threw for four touchdown passes. Just like in Seattle Hasselbeck won't have much of a receiver group as his best option Kenny Britt will most likely start the year off suspended. Hasselbeck will have Chris Johnson who will be the best running back he's ever had including Shaun Alexander. The main thing for the Titans is Hasselbeck allows them a bridge gap to the Jake Locker era. With Hasselbeck he can hold the fort down for a year possibly even two which will allow Locker to learn the offense.

This is also great news for Jake Locker as he won't be asked to save the franchise. When Locker is finally starting for the Titans it will be when he is ready instead of being thrown into the fire. We have seen recently young quarterbacks thrown into the fire on bad teams the success rate is very low. While you look at Aaron Rodgers, Phillip Rivers, and Tom Brady they all sat their first year in the NFL. In the case of Rodgers he sat for three full seasons while Rivers sat for two seasons. With Locker sitting and learning from a great pro in Hasselbeck that will help his career quite a bit. The last thing Locker needed with only a month to prepare was to start the season as the starting quarterback. Nobody cares how you do as a rookie anyways. The Titans drafted Locker for what he'll do in his career not what he'll do his rookie year. I think Hasselbeck can hold the spot down for at least a year and a half before letting Locker take over.

In conclusion, as a Seattle sports fan I love this move quite a bit. It would have sucked seeing Hasselbeck kick the Seahawks asses in a San Francisco 49ers jersey. Now I'll sort of adopt the Titans as they have Hasselbeck and Locker. I know I'll be watching their preseason games for sure to see how both guys do. This should be a weird feeling for Locker playing at Montlake for five seasons as Hasselbeck was for the Seahawks. Now Locker will be learning from the guy who he shared the spot light with in Seattle. This is a good move as Hasselbeck can extend his career while the hometown hero Locker can learn from a pro. I'm excited that the Titans not the 49ers signed Hasselbeck. I wish Hasselbeck luck and when that time comes I'll wish Locker luck as well. I know a ton of Seattle fans just became Titans fans as well.

Titans select Locker with the 8th overall pick

By Kshell

When the Tennessee Titans selected Jake Locker with the eighth pick in the 2011 draft my first reaction was I'm going to be a Titans fan now. When the Titans selected the kid from Ferndale, Washington they are taking a kid with high upside. Locker also became the first quarterback in the Washington Huskies history to go in the first round. With Locker he'll be replacing another #10 who likes to run in Vince Young. The Titans shocked some people by taking Locker over Blaine Gabbert. I wasn't surprised as Patton Richard had said that Locker is rated higher than Gabbert. For the Titans they are getting a good kid who might not be a polished product just yet. Should be interesting what the Titans do with Locker but for fans to say this will end poorly before he has ever thrown a pass is just stupid.

So what are the Titans getting in Jake Locker? On paper they are getting a guy who didn't achieve greatness like he was supposed to do. At Washington he had a starting record of 15-25 which obviously isn't very good. To be fair to that stat Locker took over a program that was horrible under Tyrone Willingham. When Locker got hurt the team went 0-12 then Locker by his senior year led the Huskies to their first winning season since 2002. He also won their first bowl game since the 2000 season so be careful calling Locker a "loser" as I'd say he is a winner. Locker's stats aren't that great he completed just 53.7% of his passes for 53 TD's and 35 INT's for 7,639 yards passing. He also ran 1,783 yards and 29 TD's. Locker for being "bad" produced 82 touchdowns for his team in just 40 games which is an average of two touchdowns a game. The Titans know they are getting a kid who has a good head on his shoulders.

When quarterbacks bust out in the NFL it is for many reasons. One reason why Locker won't bust out is he won't let the money get to his head. Locker turned down two million dollars when he was 18 years old to play baseball. Then last year Locker chose to come back he passed up possibly 50 million dollars. Locker came back to lead his team to a bowl game which he had achieved. Locker is a man of great character as well as he has befriended two kids who were dying. Locker spoke at both their funerals and after having the disaster game against Nebraska bounced back to beat them in the bowl game. Locker is also engaged to longtime girlfriend who is a softball star at the University of Washington. With Locker you know you'll get a hard worker who is going to bust his butt to get better. Will Locker succeed in the NFL? That is yet to be determined but he won't bust out due to lack of work ethic.

The good news for Locker is he'll have Chris Johnson to hand the ball off to. In three years Johnson has missed just one game in his career has rushed for 4,598 yards and 34 touchdowns. He has also caught 137 passes for 1,008 yards. Locker won't be asked to carry this franchise. He'll instead hand off to Johnson 20-25 times a game while being asked to complete roll out play action passes which he is best at. Now Locker will be in a low key situation as well in Nashville, Tennessee with a great running back to lean on. He'll also have a veteran superbowl quarterback Kerry Collins there to help him out. I think this is a good situation for Locker as he'll most likely sit and learn behind a pro like Collins. With Johnson to lean on, being in a low key situation and a veteran like Collins this is a good situation for Locker.

All in all, I'm happy for Locker. Locker is the type of guy you wish to be and your daughter to marry. He is a hard worker who truly doesn't care about money or the limelight. There are 25 players at this NFL draft while Locker is celebrating with his family and friends in his hometown of Ferndale, Washington. When Locker signed with the Washington Huskies he was supposed to be the savior. Well he wasn't surrounded with much talent as no offensive player he played with has been drafted so far. Locker did turn the Huskies program around with the bowl game and win over Nebraska. Now Locker is hoping to add himself to the names of Warren Moon, Chris Chandler and Mark Brunnell who were successful Husky quarterbacks in the NFL. I'll root on Locker no matter what and the Titans are now my favorite AFC team. First thing I'll do in the next couple of weeks is order my Jake Locker Titans jersey. I wish Locker nothing but the best! Locker will forever be a great Husky.