Report: Jake Locker Leads the QB Competition against Matt Hasselbeck
By Mark Knight
Mike Lombardi of the NFL Network says that Jake Locker may hold a slight lead in the Tennessee Titans quarterback competition against 37 year old Matt Hasselbeck. The Titans may be moving towards their first round pick from last season to help bring youth and speed to the position.
Gregg Rosenthal of NFL.com said this about the competition:
"Despite Matt Hasselbeck’s solid performance last regular season, Locker’s explosive skill set can’t be denied. The hope and expectation inside the Titans’ building is that Locker will take the job. The second-year pro is the man the Titans want leading the team, even with a difficult early schedule."
Former Washington Husky, Jake Locker is the faster, more athletic of the two and the quarterback the Titans want for the future. If they feel he is ready to take the helm, even if he isn’t as polished as Hasselbeck, the Titans may feel it is time to develop him as the starter by being the starter.
However, reports out of training, from The Tennessean, state that the battle is close. The day after Lombardi declares Locker with the lead, Hasselbeck has an amazing day at camp and Locker isn’t as impressive.
John Glennon said:
"The veteran finished 17-of-22 passing with one interception, while second-year pro Jake Locker went 8-for-20 with no interceptions.Hasselbeck looked especially sharp in the two-minute drill. He went 7-for-9, deftly leading the first-team down the field and into the end zone. He utilized a number of different receivers and threw a touchdown pass to Nate Washington."
I covered the Huskies when Locker was the QB and saw what he could do. I also watched the Seahawks as a fan and saw what Hasselbeck can do. In my mind, it depends which way the Titans want to go. Hasselbeck is a safe and smart QB but Locker is a freak of an athlete that can make special plays, but that comes with the downside of forced plays or balls thrown in tight locations.
While Hasselbeck impresses in training camp, the reality is that it will come down to if the coaches want to go with the future now or the future later.