Do you like people getting angry and screaming on the internet? Well you're in luck, because there are going to be people screaming about the Titans decision to try out some quarterbacks and eventually sign Brandon Weeden in the wake of Marcus Mariota's hamstring injury.
Those quarterbacks that got workouts were quite decidedly average, with Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk reporting Tuesday that the Titans "kicked tires" on Brandon Weeden, Matt Barkley, Matt McGloin and T.J. Yates.
Field Yates of ESPN reported Tuesday afternoon that the Titans ultimately decided to ink Weeden.
Again: none of those guys are named Colin Kaepernick, who is a quarterback that, despite some struggles on the field, has led a team to a Super Bowl (49ers in 2013) and looked fairly competent last year.
The aforementioned quarterbacks all have some kind of a pedigree in terms of playing well at the college level or being a high draft pick at some point. Weeden was a stud at Oklahoma State and a former first-round pick but he's been a disappointment in the NFL and his last stop with the Texans went poorly. Barkley was a star at USC and has spent time starting for the Bears but is 1-6 as a starter and has not looked like he is going to take the top off on offense. McGloin started a playoff game for the Raiders last year! They lost it! Yates has lots of NFL starting experience, mostly with the Texans, but, again, not taking the top off.
Mariota's hamstring injury could be more severe than we expect. The Titans were waiting on an MRI before revealing the full details of how much time he might miss. But a hamstring injury for a mobile quarterback is a major problem, and hamstring injuries can't be trifled with -- you don't throw someone back on the field immediately after suffering a hamstring injury unless you're desperate, because it would be easy to aggravate said injury.
That leaves the Titans with Matt Cassel, who is simply not that great at this stage of his career.
And it has plenty of people wondering why the Titans, who employ plenty of read-option stuff in their exotic smashmouth offense, aren't calling a guy in Kaepernick who might fit well into the system.
lol at you dopes thinking Colin Kaepernick could run the Titans offense. They'd have to change it too much. Easier with Weeden/Cassel. pic.twitter.com/glbssR7OEi
— Cian Fahey (@Cianaf) October 3, 2017
There is a viable argument that Kaepernick would be a more effective runner and thrower in this offense.
Career W-L records (not incl. playoffs):
— Alex Gelhar (@AlexGelhar) October 3, 2017
Mariota: 13-18
Weeden+Barkley+McGloin+Yates: 12-33
Kaepernick: 28-30*
*Playoff W-L record: 4-2
Could this potentially be political? Dan Patrick asked Florio about the idea of Tennessee voting largely Republican during the election and going 60 percent for President Donald Trump (who has openly battled against Kaepernick in the media leading up to the election and afterwards).
Colin Kaepernick to the @Titans? @ProFootballTalk's Mike Florio discusses pic.twitter.com/oNdubjeHHa
— Dan Patrick Show (@dpshow) October 3, 2017
Either way, people are not thrilled.
But not Colin Kaepernick. Lol okay. https://t.co/Crk4MdjHgJ
— Pierre (@Pizizzle) October 3, 2017
Are we seriously about live in a world where Brandon Weeden gets signed before Colin Kaepernick... https://t.co/q5OcCy0btt
— vijay (@VJVemu) October 3, 2017
All those busts but Kaepernick can't get a call 😂😂😂 https://t.co/nnbDLAmwXQ
— King Lex (@Lex_Naija) October 3, 2017
Why not Kaepernick he can run that offense!!! And everyone is already taking a knee!!!! https://t.co/vtsC22FIJc
— ShadyUgues (@udhu213) October 3, 2017
*but in our defense, we know what Kaepernick is. We don't know what Brandon Weeden could be yet* https://t.co/wG93t3Pg4B
— senthil s. n. (@SENTH1S) October 3, 2017
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— mike 👻 (@miikeface) October 3, 2017
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┻┳| •.•) Colin Kaepernick
┳┻|⊂ノ @Titans
┻┳| https://t.co/jNa3K4eZqL
But not Colin Kaepernick... https://t.co/ZNWDFjHWke
— Jason Wolf (@JasonWolf) October 3, 2017
Kaep is better than all these guys and fits the Titans offense better than all these guys. https://t.co/h5Kba5zHEJ
— Ryan Shannon (@ryantshannon) October 3, 2017
This is not the first time that the world has gotten riled up about Kap not getting a job. When the Cardinals inked Blaine Gabbert this offseason, people got pretty angry about it. Austin Davis landing with the Seahawks led to relative mass hysteria. There were actually a lot of quarterbacks signed before Kaepernick and we ranked them all here.
Look, the Titans SHOULD sign Kaepernick. It is quite clear that the former 49ers starter is missing out on employment opportunities because of his decision to kneel for the national anthem last season. And yet, there are hundreds of NFL players kneeling before and during the anthem at this point.
It is extremely odd that the Titans would forego an important stretch of a potential breakout season with a mobile, dangerous quarterback so they can roll with Cassel and Weeden and hope to tread water until Mariota is ready to play. Letting Kap's off-field stuff trump the importance of winning football games is a bizarre business decision.