Titans coach Mike Minchak speaks to media during the 2012 NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. (Ben Liebenberg/NFL)

INDIANAPOLIS — Titans coach Mike Munchak told me he is looking forward to watching QBs Jake Locker and Matt Hasselbeck compete for the starting job this offseason, and confirmed that the race will indeed be open.

The Titans “loved” what they saw from Locker as a rookie in limited playing time, but were also very pleased with Hasselbeck’s performance in helping lead the team to a winning record.

“Having Hasselbeck made it really good for Jake in a lot of ways,” Munchak said.

But now the two will go head-to-head during organized team activities and the preseason for the starting job.

“I know Jake wants to play and next year he will have a chance to compete,” Munchak said, adding that Locker was not drafted with the intent for him to “sit around for a year or two” learning under a veteran.

“We feel we’ve got two guys we can win with,” Munchak said. “It’s going to be a great competition.”

I probed Munchak some on two Titans who are candidates to receive the franchise tag — CB Cortland Finnegan and DT Jason Jones. He didn’t reveal much, other than saying that the team is considering using the tag, though it’s not an ideal situation.

“You’d like to have all your players back, but you can’t always have them all,” Munchak said.

Jones is rare in that he’s a young interior lineman who can penetrate the pocket, and could do very well on the open market. Finnegan is considered by some the best of what could be a shallow market for cornerbacks, depending on who gets tagged.

Follow Jason La Canfora on Twitter @JasonLaCanfora

Posted in: Jason La Canfora  | comments  |