Titans in market for QB

NASHVILLE (AP) — Tennessee Titans’ owner Bud Adams says it’s time to let Vince Young go and for the franchise to find its next quarterback.
The Titans released a statement Wednesday night in which Adams said Young won’t be on the team’s roster next season, but he’s still evaluating the coaching staff.
“We have two critical decisions to make, the direction of the coaching staff and the future at the quarterback position. They are separate issues to me and will be dealt with separately,” Adams said.
Adams is the owner who wanted Young drafted No. 3 overall out of Texas in 2006 and said on draft day that “VY is my guy.” But with his general manager and senior executive vice president traveling to Houston to meet with Adams on Monday, the 88-year-old owner decided Young no longer is the quarterback for his franchise.
Young is 30-17 in his five NFL seasons, but only 13-14 against teams finishing a season at .500 or better. He’s also battled questions over his work ethic, leadership and injuries. He suffered a season-ending thumb injury on his right hand Nov. 21, tossed his shoulder pads into the stands and told off coach Jeff Fisher in front of the locker room before storming out.
The 27-year-old quarterback told The Tennessean that he was a little bitter but thanked Adams and Fisher for giving him a chance. He also said he had nothing against Fisher, though he never felt like the coach trusted him or that he was his guy.
“Everything was my fault. But that’s over now. I wish Coach Fisher and Bud Adams and all my coaches and teammates the best,” Young said.
Young later tweeted his thanks to Nashville and Titans’ fans.
Adams said he informed general manager Mike Reinfeldt to start identifying the team’s next quarterback and thanked Young for his contributions to the team.
Reinfeldt informed agent Tom Condon that Young isn’t in the team’s plans for the future. League rules keep Young from being released until Feb. 7, and he cannot be traded until the first day of the league year — an uncertain date because of the labor unrest. Reinfeldt says Young is welcome to rehab his season-ending thumb injury at the team facility.
The news caught Young’s teammates by surprise, even though they had been asked for the past couple weeks whether they thought both Young and Fisher could work together again.
Since being placed on injured reserve on Nov. 23, Young was seen in the  locker room only once on Dec. 17, and he was on the sideline during the third quarter of the Titans’ win over Houston on Dec. 19 before leaving the field early in the fourth.
Young didn’t show up Monday for the team’s last meeting of the regular season.
Adams also said in his statement that he informed Fisher he still is evaluating the coaching staff.
Fisher could not be reached for comment Wednesday night.
He is the NFL’s longest-tenured coach with his current team, having just finished his 16th full season and coached his 273rd game with the Titans.
Fisher is under contract for 2011 at a tab of $6.5 million and the Titans will pick eighth overall in the draft.

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