Kerry Collins?

The Titans signed quarterback Kerry Collins today, and I can't figure out why.

Kerry has had a nice career, earlier in his career leading a fledgling Carolina franchise to the NFC championship game and later taking the Giants to the Super Bowl. (Of course, the success Collins had in Charlotte and Jersey was punctuated by forgettable stints in New Orleans and Oakland.) Throughout his career he's been a quarterback capable of taking the snaps for a quality football team without screwing things up.

The Titans, frankly, are not a quality football team. Based on what I saw Saturday night, I'd say the Titans should feel satisfied if they match last year's four-win total. (Yes, a couple weeks ago I was more optimistic. But alas . . . .) The Collins move makes sense for a team with most of its pieces in place who needs a competent quarterback to make them a contender. If it weren't blasphemy, I might say that God couldn't make the Titans a contender, let alone Kerry Collins. Is Billy Volek ready to start in the NFL? Probably not, but Tennessee is not ready to compete in the NFL, and the Titans are building for the future.

I say: Start Vince Young. Yes, the Titans would have a better shot at winning four or five games with Collins or Volek at the helm, but the team has made an investment in Vince Young, and they may as well throw him in the deep end and let him get used to the water. Despite my frustration with the home team, the Titans have a lot of good young players to build around—Travis LaBoy, Brandon Jones, Rob Bironas, Bo Scaife, Adam "Handcuffs" Jones, and so forth. I hate to ever suggest that a team should look ahead any further than the next game, but the Titans should focus on developing the young guys, not in bringing in nearly retired veterans.